


Derezzed

by TheForgottenSheikah



Category: The Strain (TV)
Genre: Blood, F/M, Fluff, Language, Mild Gore, Romance, Sexual Content, Vaun Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-05-31 11:18:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 112,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6468136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheForgottenSheikah/pseuds/TheForgottenSheikah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young woman finds something unexpected one evening that will change her life forever.</p><p>~Begins months before Flight Regis 753</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another story that's been playing over and over in my mind for like three months and I'm tried of it. So, out in the open world it goes! I'll be exploring different things in this work about the Born and strigoi. Q will be a mixture of TV/Book and my own musings. Vaun will be Vaun, I suppose lol. Rating may go up for future chapters, I'm not sure. 
> 
> Here we go!
> 
> (Yes, I know I have other things to write. Hush!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited 6/3/17

A short statured woman let out a long yawn and gave her limbs a trembling stretch. It was eleven at night and finally the trash zone that buried her living room was clean! She usually hated messes in general, but slip ups happened and pig stys were created when one worked so much.

Handling two jobs and keeping her personal space in tip top shape was taxing yet that was the norm for life these days.

“Being an adult is such a trap…” She mumbled after stretching, her palms clasping onto her hips as brown eyes glared down at the full white bag of trash.

Driving a car, living by yourself, and having a seemingly endless flow of cash looked so appealing in her younger days, almost like a dream come true. Of course reality smacked the glitter right off that goal. Being on her own rocked to a degree, she couldn’t lie, but the river of money got clogged way too often and a owning a car? Pffft, her wallet screamed in agony every time she just glanced at a vehicle used or not.

Adulthood is a lovely lie. Don’t do it kiddos.

Blowing a straying tuff of hair from her view, she dipped and snatched up the red ties of the plastic bag. Bare feet padded across the freshly mopped fake wooden floor towards the cubby hole that housed her shoes. She slipped on a pair of black sandals.

She peeked down the short hallway and whistled. Seconds ticked by then her call was answered by a stuttering snore. As deep as it sounded, she knew this trip was going to be alone.

“That dog is dead to the world.” She sighed, unlocking the turn latch above the handle and exiting.

The young woman lived on the second floor of a four story building. It was an apartment complex for the low income, her wages barely covering even this. The neighborhood wasn’t that great but it’s all she manage currently. Maybe giving into that rash decision wasn’t so great. But hey, she was doing the best she could.

Place even had an elevator! A plus? Nah.

She entered the steel box with heavy unease in her chest. Too many horror films had planted a phobia of these things in her. Scenes of the elevator getting detached, set on fire, or a flicker of light and monster appeared suddenly and killed someone. Her body shivered as the old machine’s gears groaned as it cranked down the shaft.

“Ugh, hurry up,” She mumbled, leaning against the railing. The odd movement of descending faster than it seemed caused made her stomach drop every time. Thankfully, the ride was over in a few blinks and she had safely reached the foyer.

Quickly getting out of the elevator, she was certain the grin of relief looked silly to any onlookers but the main entrance was devoid of any people. She continued outside and turned to the left. The apartment’s dumpster was located on the building’s side, which was now completely engulfed in dense pitch.

Hairs stood rigid on the back of her neck the more she stared at it with growing apprehension. Why was she doing this again? The rotten stench of a half-eaten baked chicken that rested in the middle of the trash reminded her swiftly.

“I always leave something on my plate… why?” She shook her head, chiding herself.

The inky darkness seemed to advance from just its ally, inching further like tendrils ready to grasp her ankles and pull her in. Her indecisive habit kicked in, making her consider to do this chore in the morning in broad daylight. The longer she simply stared mulling over her ridiculous options, gave way for her mind to begin playing silly tricks on her eyes.

Images of shapes moving within the shadow glued her already stubborn legs to a standstill. That childish fear spiked a bit when she swore a pair of red eyes had appeared a few seconds ago. Her brow crinkled.

‘For God’s sake, how old are you?! Put on your big girl panties and throw the damn trash away!’

Breathing in a calming air, she relinquished the foolhardy tidbits of fear her mind created and moved forward more secure. The moment the tip of her shoe touched the dark edge, a loud crash echoed from ahead, successfully shattering any brave resolve she had built. She let out a tiny yelp of fright, deathly gripping the ties.

“What the hell was that?” Her eyes were wide as plates, trying to see in the vast mass of darkness that was before her for what could’ve possibly made that noise.

A homeless man or a cat could’ve easily knocked over a bin or hit the dumpster. Then again, what if some guy sneaking around in the dark waiting for some absent minded girl to walk down so he could… Nope! She spun on her heel and firmly decided the waste could wait until tomorrow. No way was she getting mugged or _worse_ over tossing her garbage!

But as she retreated something tugged on her feelings, gently urging her to change her course.

She wasn’t as religious as she used to be, that was for sure, however she wasn’t one to ignore that weird sensation of being guided. Biting on the inner flesh of her lip, she returned on the original direction. The container wasn’t far, it was closer to the street than the back road. She kept a tentative pace. So far nothing terrible had happened.

Perhaps it was a touch of reassurance? Who knew…

Pushing the plastic lid up and onto the brick wall, she tossed the rubbage in and closed it as softly as possible. Her eyes darted around, having adjusted to the dark. From what she could tell, everything seemed in place since she was last here a few days ago. Her nose scrunched, upset with herself.

Being paranoid as usual...

She turned to go home when a garbled groan reached her ears. Palms flew to her mouth to lid the sound of fright that nearly escaped her lips. Her head snapped in every direction, wildly searching for whatever made that noise. She found zip. It didn’t seem exactly like an animal but she never heard a human make it.

The geekier side of her brain roused, musing that it was similar to the noises one of her favorite alien species made. The thought bubble of being abducted by a being with a god like build and dreadlocks, swept into space for some ludicrous inter-species sex caused the inner geek half to swoon.

The woman’s expression fell flat. Oh yeah, her bird resembling self would definitely be the first to be ravished by a sexy as hell space hunter. So much sarcasm, it almost hurt…

Fishing out her cellphone from the yoga pant’s pocket, she tapped the _Flashlight_ app and bent her knees to inch hopefully discretely upon whatever the origin was. For a moment, she believed it to be in her imagination but the second noise rang again. She shoved the bright light to her feet in a startle.

‘Hellooooo Mr. Sexy alien!’ The geek would not give up.

She face palmed. ‘Don’t be stupid. _Predators_ don’t exist, neither do orcs or vampires.'

Waddling carefully to peek around the corner, she froze instantly as the light chased away the shadows lingering beside the dumpster.

Against the wall, lying unmoving was a figure dressed completely in black. They had their torso set to brace on the brick, head tilted down so all she could see was the dark hood utterly hiding any distinguishable feature. Their outfit was strange.

Each piece was black and made sure to cover every inch of them. Long sleeves and pants, gloves, and combat boots. The clothing had a lot of pockets on it too. Judging by the height alone, she guessed they were male. Was he SWAT or military?

Tip toeing closer to investigate, the instinct to run strangely absent, she rose the phone to shine some light on him. It illuminated his torso. She gasped, earning a slight twitch from him. A white substance akin to blood ran over his chest from three holes. He’d been shot?!

Was he still conscious? Panic flared. She had to call someone, the police, 911 anyone! Her phone shook in her trembling hands as she swiped the screen open to the dial pad.

Before the pads of her fingers could even tap the numbers, a gurgling groan emitted from him again. She paused, eyes watering from the overload of fear and stress. Teeth bit into her lower lip, the woman dared to get near. Thinking back on this moment, maybe shining the light in his face wasn’t the brightest of ideas…

Licking her chapped lips, she asked. “Are you okay…?”

His skull snapped up in a flash, pitch orbs lined with crimson flared open and a hiss emerged past jagged fangs.

Oh what the fuck?!?!?

He snarled and lunged for her, knocking them both into the small puddle that was left over from this evening’s rain. His thighs caged her legs while his gloved hands bore down on her shoulders, locking her into place under him. In the midst of this hurtle his hood had been knocked back, displaying a smooth yet scarred head with pointed ears.

She didn’t have the luxury to lay and contemplate what he was as his maw opened wider than any normal person’s jaw was capable of, showing off the rows of wicked sharp teeth and a squirming… inner mouth?

Hell no! She was _not_ about to be eaten!

Struggling in his iron grip to try and properly maneuver was difficult. Wiggling for some room eventually made way for her to bend her leg enough to reach and ram it between his legs. He gnashed his teeth together at the impact but did not release her. Balls of steel or he just straight up didn’t care.

Tears bubbled at the corners of her gaze. The pressure on her joints increasing by the impending doom looming above her extinguished any calm she had left. This was it? Eaten by some weird humanoid in the alley to may be discovered in the morning after cats and God knew what else had chewed on her?

A burning liquid dripped onto her stomach. Those hands that were clasped onto the balls of her shoulders moved to encircle her neck, desperation glowing in those odd eyes. She managed to glance down and see his wound dripping on her at a faster rate.

The guy- creature was shaking now, the blood loss taking its toll. He must’ve widened the wounds moving so quickly. His fingers loosen slightly in their hold. She grabbed onto the tiny spark of stubbornness and acted.

Throwing up her free arm that held the cell in it, she whacked the freak in the temple with it twice as hard she could muster with the mobile. His glassy orbs widened a fraction and he swayed, trying to stay up right, before collapsing on top of her. She winced as the weight expelled the oxygen out of her lungs.

“That’s cool,” She grimaced, attempting to shift him off. “I don’t need boobs.”

After much trial and error, she finally succeeded in rolling his body off her own and on the concrete ground. He landed on his back, unconscious. Chest heaving, she lingered to regain her lost breath and exhausted strength.

She was too scrawny for this shit!

Tipping her glasses up, which miraculously didn’t break or come off during that tumble somehow, she rubbed her whole face with both hands. Her brain was still spinning. What just happened?

Her hazel eyes regarded him from behind pale fingers.

What to do with him?

She scoffed and rose from the dirty water. “Fuck’em, that’s what.” Thank God it wasn’t Winter or that little dip would’ve sucked. New York cold plus soaked clothes equaled screw that!

She stomped off to leave the creature to whatever was in store for him when once more that nudging came back. Why couldn’t her conscious leave her be tonight?! Angry eyes peered over her thin shoulder.

Imagining actually walking away and allowing it- him to die was pathetic. A pout shaped on her lips. She didn’t have the heart to just abandon him so cruelly. Even if dark elf over there tried to kill her, thinking back it seemed the reaction was more defensive or instinctual rather than the want to do it.

Oh bugger! Why was she even considering this?! She doesn’t even _know what he is_! Though that didn’t ease the guilt in leaving him behind to bleed out.

“Stupid, stupid, _stupid_!!” She criticized, appalled by her choice.

* * *

Hauling his unresponsive body up to her apartment was a job. Getting him there without being seen was a miracle. Thanking her lucky stars, she had managed to do both without being caught. There was the matter of security cameras but no one really checked those unless a theft or other crime was reported.

They made it to her space but the unwanted physical activity both fighting and dragging him here left her gasping, the exertion of carrying that dead weight used up a lot of muscle she barely possessed. She kicked the front door shut when he was moved out of the way. She wrestled with his uncooperative form onto her sofa finally before her legs gave out.

Her lungs took deep breathes to restore a level of sturdiness in her frazzled body.

‘Okie dokie, I got him here but, now what?’ She combed through her damp locks, thinking.

That train of thought derailed when a growl rumbled from behind. Her brow pursed in mild confusion. Glancing over her shoulder, two brown eyes and white teeth glimmered in the dim light of the hallway. A single bead of sweat rolled past her eye.

_Oh fudge._

She hadn’t even considered what her dog would think of their very unexpected visitor. His webbed toes were spread wide in an aggressive stance, growling lowly and eyes promising offense to the being who didn’t respond to his warnings. A loud and harsh bark was directed to the creature yet he still didn’t stir.

“Thor, chill out! You’re gonna wake people up worse!” The young woman held up her hands in order to try and calm her canine friend.

The worse implied their grumpy neighbor who took an opportunity to complain against them, especially Thor. Fortune must have been on her side for a while since no one came across her trying to get him up here but if Thor kept up the bellow of his name sake, she’d get that unwanted attention.

“Dude, I swear to God, if you don’t hush that furry face…” She began to threaten, to use that old ‘no treats for a week’ but a rather unwelcome knock thundered.

Dread pooled in her stomach. She didn’t care about having to deal with her neighbor, it was just the timing of it all. Not caring if she got bit, she nabbed Thor by his blue collar and scrambled into her room.

“Williams!” Came the cranky voice of her neighbor, Mr. Franks.

The man wasn’t known for his cheery disposition and pleasant outlook. He never did waste a chance to bitch about Thor even though all the poor hound did was exist. Thor usually behaved quite well until tonight.

“Just a minute!” She sounded back while trying to maneuver the stubborn dog into her room and lock it.

Once that furry feat was accomplished, she spared a worried glance to the couch where he yet lay without moving an inch. In fact, it damn near eerie how entirely unmoving he was. Her eyes narrowed. Was he even breathing?!

“Williams!!”

Unable to rush over and check on her assailant, she trotted over the threshold. As she reached the entrance, her sock stepped in something warm and slippery nearly causing her to fall. Cringing at the very plausible dog mess, she slowly rose her sole. Rae mutely gaped in horror.

It was his blood!?

Bloody -pun intended- fantastic! She hadn’t notice any during their hefty trip as she had tried to keep pressure on his wounds. Was there more outside too? The unrelenting fist pounding on the door broke any sound grip she had on patience.

Stomping her foot back down, she slung the thin wooden door open wide so quickly it had startled the old man.

“Yeah?!” He blinked at her unusual demeanor.

“Well then! About time.” He cleared his throat. “Williams, do you realize how late it is? I’m here to ask you to keep that mutt quiet.”

Smart replies bubbled at the back of her throat, itching to be voiced. She just sighed and gave him a strained grin. “I know the hour, Mr. Franks and I apologize for the inconvenience we’ve caused…”

The syllables died on her tongue as she realized Franks no longer seemed to be listening. His line of sight went straight to her feet. His bushy brows furrowed.

“What in God’s name is that? That dog did something awful, didn’t it?! I’ll be informing the landlord of this danger first thing in the morning Dawns-” He spouted off the nonsense until she couldn’t take it anymore.

‘That’s it!’

“Okay, ya know what? I’ve had it with your rotten attitude, old man! I get it. You hate dogs for some unholy reason! But ya know what? I don’t give a rat’s ass about your likes!” She glared. “And _do you know_ what time it is? Stompin’ over here like _you own_ the joint! Fuck off my doorway!” The last was more loud than she intended but it was effective.

Mr. Franks went sheets paler and gave her a brisk nod, returning back to his flat. She re-locked the door with a with a smug grin. Normally, she kept the attitude under wraps for the sake of sanity but her last straw was drawn! Her smack down with red eyes over there and frizzled out her nerves.

Paid an extra hundred fifty dollars to allow Thor in here and she had put up with this shit. She shook her head, kneading her forehead.

“I feel a headache comin’ on.” She grumbled. Was it bedtime yet?

Thor began to bark again, more instantly this round. Irritation just burst in her chest.“Oh will you shut up, _please_!”

A shiver ran up her spine as something really strange occurred then.

_You are awfully loud for one so small._

What the…?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I've been loaded with personal things and bouncing between other fics I have going on as one shot requests I've been given. I'm so happy to see you all like this so far. :) Hope to continue doing such!
> 
> *Chapter edited and replaced 7/29/17*

He was viciously tugged back from the void of his unconscious state by the stinging of skin healing, knitting back vein, muscle, and thin sheets of flesh back together. Albeit the wounds were shallow as the bullets had been pushed out by the meshing repair of his body, it still felt hurtful. Dizziness buzzed in his cloudy mind like a hive of bees as he rose slowly off the… _soft ground_?

In a quick and fluid motion, he sat up on what he discovered to be a couch. Blinking in startled puzzlement, he surveyed his surroundings. The stale city air was replaced with various scents like plastic, cleaning products, foods, and the underlying tone of… _dog_ ; he scrunched his nose at that offending odor. Yet there was another unique scent lurking beneath it all, one that was vaguely intriguing.

A softer more sweet fragrance that allured him for reasons unknown. It reminded him of pages from a book and an open field in the summer. Odd way to describe one’s particular smell but that’s what it reminded him of. It was far more pleasant that what assaulted his sensitive nose outside.

It was difficult to distinguish any further details of the interior as lights engulfed his vision with many variations of red and yellow. He could tell the outlines of furniture and simple descriptions like such but any more was impossible in such a bright setting. Only in a middle ground of light could he differentiate between temperatures and colours, see everything instead of shapes.

During his scrutinizing, a rather upset elder male human had raised a commotion behind him.

Complaining to someone called _Williams_ about their animal, the dog he had picked up on earlier, and threatening to involve a landlord. Ah, he must in one of those buildings that housed multiple mortals; an apartment. Williams was quite tentative during most of the rant until he guessed finally their patience had snapped as suddenly he could feel the air change around them into one of aggravation.

He hadn’t paid much mind to either of them as they seemed quite caught up in one another’s hostility so failed to fully grasp the tone of William’s heated reply. However, he peeked out of his peripheral vision, the volume of their voice was very racking to his ears. At the doorway stood the source, a human of non impressive height raising their tone to such high octaves that made him wince. The flesh of his brow wrinkled in irritation.

How one so cut in size could manage to be so loud was outstanding.

After a seething warning of their own was issued, the hidden blotch of body heat retreated and the door was harshly shut. He was slightly impressed by their defense. Without even considering the repercussions, he reached out to their mind.

_You are awfully loud for one so small._

The human flinched at his sudden and invading thought, bunching their tiny shoulders. Their head turned both right and left before craning slowly to glance at him. It let out a yelp of shock and fumbled backwards, hitting the door with their back. The surprise had sent their core temperature soaring along with their bloodbeat.

It thundered in his ears, drowning out their increased rate of breath, prodding at the loss he had endured; to drink his fill and be done. He felt his stinger move in interest, rattling lowly at the temptation of the possible meal. He braced his jaw, denying the thirst. He had scared it enough already.

If his presumptions were correct this mortal had decided to help him in his shameful state. Returning that with violence seemed foul. His stinger rattled again, a sense of familiarity ticking at his subconscious at the scent of their blood.

Shrugging it off, most humans smelled roughly the same, he attempted to calm it’s wildly thrumming pulse. “I...I apologize…” His voice cracked. “If I frightened you.”

It had been a long time since he last used his vocal cords. The sudden stretching of that unused muscle made his throat feel like sandpaper and his words dusty. He was very hoarse sounding, it was a bit embarrassing…

Their arms ceased trembling and their shoulders eased into a more relaxed position. The human still held it’s small hands clasped in front of it’s chest, but timidly spoke to him.

“Uh, it-it’s cool, I mean- I should doing the apologizing.” Their tone grew softer, more tentative. “I was the one being loud…”

He blinked, shaking his head as if struck. Such an odd creature, offering an apology as if _they_ had wronged _him._ He cast his vision to the floor. Yet here he was, without any recollection of how he gained access to their personal dwellings…

His muscles tensed and his slacken jaw snapped shut while previous events filtered back freshly into memory. Obeying the demanding call of the thirst in a haze. The polluted blood of his victim and the gunfire that followed, thundering in his ears, setting spots in body on fire. Crawling away like some pathetic beaten animal…

Now he was here, in this unknown space, unintentionally exposing his kind to the human presence. The Old Ones would be furious with his lack of discipline ensuing punishment to follow surely. He sighed, stinger rattling. Damn it all, could this night become any worse?

He peeked at the mortal out of his peripheral who was trying- and failing not to stare with their mouth slightly agape. By the night why did they _always_ do that? He already knew how strange and monstrous he was. There was no need for a reminder. It bothered him more than it did in his comrade’s youth. The act was unsettling.

“Please,” He said, voice barely above a whisper with his unused vocal cords. “I ask that you do not sit there and gawk.”

That jarred them a bit, knocking them from the curious daze. “S-Sorry, it’s just I’ve never seen somethin- _one_ like you.” They caught their harsh words before they fully escaped.

It was expected. He was unnatural in ways than one. The intense pale hue of his skin, red eyes, and facial features were very unsettling to humans. He waved it off. “It is no matter.” If anything, he was actually surprised they caught their insult.

Suddenly, the human was far closer than they were before; mere inches from his person. He startled a bit at the quick and unexpected movement. They were a tad closer than his personal liking. The hum of their blood song rang in his ears trying to spark the thirst again, to address his wounds.

Far too close.

He opened his mouth to ask they put a more distance between them only to realize his mistake. Every human smelled roughly the same, their scent’s top layer almost indiscernible from another. It was the core of each scent that allowed them to be able to tell them apart from afar.

He froze, snapping his jaw shut. It all made sense when he added two and two together. Their size, voice tone, scent and overall mannerism of speech.

This was a female mortal. Tonight definitely could become worse!

* * *

She rapidly blinked at the fast change in the demeanor of her strange house guest. All she did was shorten the space between them so she could get a better look at him and then he shut down, lips sealing shut and refusing to meet her eyes. A brow rose in confusion. Did she insult him somehow?

“Are you alright?” She inquired, craning her neck to get a glimpse of his red and black eyes.

He still did not look at her although he did reply, it was not vocal. _Yes, I am fine. I apologize. It is just… I haven’t been in the company of a woman for quite some time._

Her nose scrunched. There it was again, that weird tapping in her head; like rats scratching around in a cupboard. It almost floored her at first. She began to believe she had finally lost it but now, it seemed this was how he truly communicated. It felt like an echo in her mind when he spoke. It wasn't wholly unpleasant just bloody freaky.  

And how he talked was different than the norm, as if he materialized out of another time period. Or he was the rare spawning of the creature labeled a gentleman? Either way, she found herself intrigued.

‘Good?’ She thought, imagining herself aiming that at him. The imaginative was quite funny if one were able to actually see it. Basically, it resembled her rolling up the thought like a baseball and throwing it at him.

The guy twitched like someone flicked his nose. He stared at her, shocked. This time, she was given a verbal response. “You can actually… Interesting.” He breathed in a mixture of surprise and awe.

Not sure how to answer that, she carefully settled on the opposite side of the couch and examined him up close as possible. In the light given off by the ceiling fan she could decipher his profile better even with the hood still pulled over. From this view, not a single thread of hair was on his head but there were scars that ran parallel across his face. They were long and dark, contrasting against his aged paper like skin- much like his voice.

She remembered his ears. They were kinda big and long with pointed tips; a lot like a favorite mythical race of hers, but the more she mused it seemed more bat like than Elf. Which was definitely more fitting to his frightening visage.

Before Rae realized her filter was off, she blurted out. “Are you an elf or something?”

He cocked his head to the right, staring at her bewildered as if she sprouted two heads. She began to inwardly panic. Oh my God you don’t just ask people what they are! Rae hid the embarrassed flush in a curtain of her short hair.

_I beg your pardon?_

Look what you did, you insulted him so hard he switched back to talking telepathically! Her eyes did widen considerably at his words and she slumped forward a bit in slight disbelief. “You don’t know what an elf is??”

His eerie eyes glared as he growled at her. “I have a faint knowledge of what I believe you are referring me to but, much to your disappointment, I am not said creature.”

She pursed her lips, brow raised at his correction. “So, if I may ask, what are you?”

Look at you, being so forward and barrier breaking; more like rude, Rae chastised herself.

The strange man glowered, shifting away from her gaze. “I cannot say.”

With that, he stood and turned to leave when Rae shot up next to him. “Hey, wait! Look I’m sorry, I have an awful habit of not knowing when to zip it but…” She reached out, lacking any sort of regard to her safety. “Aren’t you in _pain_ _?_ I saw all those bullet wounds.”

Her mindless touch seemed to paralyze him in place. It was silent for a handful of a ticks before he snapped out of the sudden daze. He glared at her intrusive hand then carefully moving her limp away.

A series of chittering clicks was the only noise he made until his raspy voice spoke. “I’ll heal perfectly well on my own. There is no sense you worrying over it.”

Neither had realized he was still holding onto her wrist. He flinched and dropped her appendage as if he burnt him. The man clicked nervously.

_I shouldn’t even be here before you like this._

The decrypt fingers of his elders crawled over his mind like curious insects, tugging and pulling on his conscious with those pinching and biting digits. He had been absent far too long. They’d grow furious over his fumble that included revealing himself to this mortal. If they peered through his eyes now and saw her staring back at them, she’d be damned. He had to leave.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you however, I implore you to forget me. Nothing good will come out of having saved me.” He threw on his hood, the cover cast a shadow over his face causing those red eyes to glow. “But… I am thankful for your interference…”

Rae gawked, unable to process words fast enough before the guy had made it over to her window rather quickly. He pushed the window up and ducked to go down the fire escape. She rushed over, body acting ahead of her mind. Touching people was not a simple feat for her yet here she was again, clasping onto this stranger’s forearm.

His head swiftly craned to look at her, demand that she release him, but she finally got something out before he could snap at her. “Well, if I’m supposed to forget you then take care of yourself, yeah?”

Rae believed she saw something jerk inside those odd eyes, like something reacted for the first time at those words. His gaze stared at the heat gathered in cheeks. Nodding once, he gently removed his arm from her grip and meandered his descent downward. She was amazed his footfalls made no sound while he returned wherever it was he had come from.

The man’s form was nearly swallowed up by the shadows he retreated inside when Rae abandoned her shyness for a moment and called out. “My name’s Rae by the way!”

That startled him, his crimson eyes wide as he turned to look at her loud announcement. His mouth opened to tell her his own name but closed firmly when he decided it was better off for her safety if he remained unknown. It was easier to forget a nameless thing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally the length of chapters won't be this short. I wanted to give you guys at least something so you wouldn't believe I'd left it lol! Thank you for reading. :3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some ungodly reason I believed that this chapter had been already uploaded... I am terribly sorry I've made you all wait so long for so little. The next should not take so much bloody time! Writer's block has been acting up but I wrote random dabbles so I think I've got it nipped. Anyways, on with you all came for. 
> 
> P.S.  
> A huge thank you to everyone that's left kudos, comments, and just plain coming by! It gives me warm fuzzies.
> 
> P.S.S  
> I will reply to comments in Notes so they don't add to the count of comments. I don't why that bothers me but it does...

Rae watched as the shadows engulfed the dark elf, bat humanoid, or demon dude until a text jingled from her cell. Sliding the window closed with a locked click, she picked up the device. A shift change called her in early. Yippee! Kidding... Opening was not fun at all.

Then again, it did give her more day time freedom.

Sucking on her teeth Rae double checked on the door's latch, turned off the lights except the glowing Star Wars Empire symbol mounted on the wall and made her way to bed.

A quick throw of clothes into the basket and Rae slipped into an X large T-shirt, 'HAHAHAHA!' written in blood on the front. She deposited her black and blue glasses on the connected bathroom's sink and rinsed her face.

Okay, why was she acting so calm about what just happened back there?

Some without doubt otherworldly creature was sitting in her living room and chatting -along with bleeding- until he decided to bolt. And what does she do?

Rae grabbed a purple towel and rubbed the dripping water off.

Shout her name out to him like it was totally cool for him to come visit any time!

Rae scowled at her reflection, slapping the switch off with a huff. Bare feet padded across the floor to where she flopped onto a twin size bed. Pillows and various stuffed animals jumped to the ground in a heap. Letting the wounded creature inside was dangerous enough but the nerve to act like a love struck princess!? Where was her reserve? She rose a brow. Love was definitely the wrong way to categorize this. It was merely geeking out!

Rae had an unnatural sense of curiosity and ingenious every since she was small. Mum always nagged and warned her about those traits getting her killed. The digital red numbers burned into the arm covering her eyes. Two A.M. and her whole world turned upside down. Excitement bubbled although her body really needed the rest. Rae's eyes were bright as she contemplated on what he could be.

She'd seen some ugly elfs before but that still didn't pin him exactly. Demon? Hmm, out of all the stories and other shit she had watched and read, those encounters didn't fare well. The hair on her arms stood up as bumps rose on flesh. His coal and ruby eyes, happened to find him out in the dead of night, and she did manage to catch a glimpse of a wicked set of teeth while he gaped at her for touching him. He was for sure not your Edward Cullen or Eric Northman. Black and white clips old as dust flickered in her mind's eye of a tall and warped figure. Nosferatu, a member of the undead, drinking blood and scurrying back into his coffin. Not quite that lanky or weak appearing though. Rae felt, even when he was hurt, dude was armed to the very teeth and would fight until he or the other was dead. Goosebumps rose on her thinly arms. The silence in her apartment became thick as the idea dawned.

Rae gulped. Vampire, huh?

Odds definitely were not in her favor. What could she do if he did return? A shuddering sigh came from Thor's kennel where he was curled into his pillow and stuffed alien toy, snoring away. Right. Sleep on it. Rae rolled over and threw the sheet over her shoulders. In the morning, all this hype would be drained and she could think as clearly as a bell! As if he would come back...

* * *

 

Vaun braced himself for the mental onslaught of prying fingers and hissing questions. Yet they never came.

He walked inside the compound without so much a flickering glance over his mind from his masters. What did await him was a pair of his Hunters. If not for his vision, they would not have been seen. Upon his descending, Vaun could now easily detect their abnormal molten eyes staring at him. The usual slack of his nest mates elongated mouths were sewn tightly into a deep frown. His elder's presence leaking from beneath the hoods of the Hunters. So this is how they would approach.

_Masters._

**Born.** Their voices in duel harmony, as one.

**You are late. Why is this?**

It was Vaun's turn to frown. Of course he wouldn't get away with it, sneaking in like some child going behind their mother's back. He folded his hands before him and explained.

_I was careless in my selection of drink. Mistakes were made that led me to become wounded._

The Old Ones did not react. No matter what befell him or the Hunters, they said nothing but a sigh of pity. After all, how could monsters properly understand emotion? Vaun was cursed to able to feel as human yet have it warped into startling and confusing levels by his _strigoi_ half. Plagued by the confusing feelings he took refuge in his undead side, favoring it over the long years.

Waves of disappointment slapped at him. **Foolishness. Do the witnesses live?**

He informed them no one saw his profile but the humans did indeed still breathe.

A rattling exhale echoed in the darkness. There would be no appeasing them this night.

**This could have been avoided, Born. We have provisions here for that very reason.**

His possessed cousins stepped towards him menacingly. **You shall not leave to the surface unless ordered. Are we clear?**

Vaun nodded but inwardly grimaced. He didn't wish to expose a weaker side of himself, the one that desired to be above the ground and inky blackness. His human DNA rebelling to be free of this confining place if just for a moment. _Yes my lords._

The strigoi on his left retreated along with the Ancient's influence back into their haven, except for the other. It still stood, studying him. Vaun never blinked an eye or moved an inch. His Hunter still under hold of a Master.

 **Let go of sentiment, Vaun. It will only hinder you.** Before he could give it a reply, the puppet _strigoi_ pressed on. **Your connection to the above world died along with your mother.**

Vaun clenched his fangs together trying his damnedest not to snarl at his betters. It wasn't unexpected for them to use his mother against him but that didn't deter the pain they inflicted. While the memories of the one who carried and borne him were vague, murky like water, he remembered her enough for the comment to sting. He swallowed the burn.

_As you command._

Appearing satisfied, it left the Hunter to it's down devices once more. His cousin clicked a greeting at him like nothing strange had occurred. The _strigoi_ were not aware when their masters invaded their minds and bodies to speak or see. They were simply put into a quick state of unconsciousness and used how their makers saw fit. Vaun hated being torn between vastly different elements but he was thankful that couldn't happen to him.

Growling, he made way past the _strigoi_ and down the long hall. Many doors were lined along the concrete walls; each hiding something. There was a room where his Hunters huddled in slumber together during the day. Another entered to the holding cells for their...food. An incinerator was located next to the area to properly dispose of the bodies. Weapons, clothes, armor and quarters for human allies when the time called for them also took up space. Everything had a place here, even him.

Vaun turned a corner and went through a steel door across from the arms storage. He had requested a personal area as he didn't want to be corralled with the Hunters. The layout wasn't complex as the human girl's. A cot was against the wall facing the door, wooden closet that housed his clothing and some items he held onto, and joined bathing room that was rarely used.

Ah, yes, the female... Rae.

He fell back on the makeshift bed, forearms resting on his thighs. Not only had he messed up once tonight, but a second time by that human's interference! His masters asked if any had gotten a good look at him and he lied. She had seen him without the hood's covering and engaged him in conversation. None of that should've happened!

Removing the gloves, he bared his hand, giving his claws relief. Vaun rubbed his scalp.

Perhaps she wouldn't figure out what he was. She did mistake him for an... elf?

Ears twitched.

What exactly was that anyway? He believed he knew what she was referring to but now he was not so sure. A groan rumbled past his lips. There was the internet that humans created, an archive of literally everything in the world. Beneath all the crafted lies about his kind, there were clues littered about. Rae didn't appear to be ignorant. His head fell into his palms.

What to do about it?

He could go back and threaten her. That idea caused his stomach to ache. There was no reason to scare the little thing. Maybe if he just simply remained vanished, he would be erased from her memory; regarded as a dream.

Her scent still on his sleeve, how his masters missed that, gave his stomach another jolt.

Unsure how to deal with this, Vaun sprung with a snarl and tore off the jacket. The ripped article of clothing landed in the far corner, crimson orbs glaring at it. This was absolutely ludicrous! He knew nearly zero about the female yet he was in the middle on how to fix this. Why? She would be just another body to add to the high pile he had already amassed! Was it because she was innocent? There was no order given? Too much was buzzing around his skull.

Hissing, he unfastened the rest of his attire and changed into fresh but lesser coverings. Ignoring the side of the room where the discarded vest lay, Vaun retook his place back on the bed. Legs crossed, he sat up against the cool wall. His stinger twisted lazily in his chest. He would feed later on. Perhaps rest could ease the conflict he was experiencing. Shutting his eyes, Vaun forced himself to sleep. He'd merely disappear from her thoughts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything noticed like Star Wars, Batman, and any other franchise I do not own in any way, shape, or form. Including the Strain. I'm nerdy girl basically self inserting here...
> 
> Forgive any grammatical errors!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, lookit this! A quick update! I'm so happy lol. Vaun may seem a little OC but it's one of two head cannons I have of his personality. We never did get to see him act outside of work, haha! Anyways, thank you to KatyKay for Bookmarking and all who read this Fic! :) 
> 
> Reply to Chole_O: Thank you for the kind words, dear! :D
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this and as much as I enjoy writing it.

New York City was fully alive in the afternoon with rumbling traffic, shouts of lousy driving and music echoing from the large screens of advertisement surrounding most. Rae weaved through the thick bustle of people, heading to her day shift at a near by diner. By the time she'd arrive, the sun will have baked her thoroughly like a ham, the beads of sweat rolling down her back caused her uniform to be damp.

'Goodie,' She inwardly spat, ducking a ladder being crossed to a radio store front.

Even with a later on shift, Rae managed to most likely get there late. This was almost worse than the morning hour. She didn't know how her fellow employees did it. Waking up at the crack dawn like a vampire... That comment made Rae's mind reel back to nearly over a week ago when she risked her own safety and board to bring in, um, whatever he is.

'Or was,' A small part of herself piped up. Having not seen anything like him in so many days, Rae began to wonder. What if her brain did make him up? But that went against the dirty clothes stained with nasty drain water she took out of her hamper the next morning. Then again, Rae mused, I'm not the most graceful pair of legs on the stage. Slipping on the wet concrete and hitting her head made a hell of lot more sense. Right?

'Out of all the things to hallucinate about, you pick a leathery looking orc creature?' Orc? Maybe more like a goblin with those red eyes. Or tormented elf. Rae ran her palm down her face. Didn't she decide on vampire anyways? Seriously... Those exist in books, comics or games! Not in real life, get a grip!

Ah, there was her Mom's dialogue. Oh, her mother would've lost her shit if she got ear on what Rae did or even did not really do.

Oh well, a girl can dream right?

Rae stumbled back with a solid thud. Hot liquid splashed over her work shoes and on someone else too. "What the hell, woman?! Can't watch where ya goin'?!" A very and upset Jersey voice shouted, stepping away from the split beverage.

Apparently they cannot.

"I-I'm so sorry! Lemme help-" The man angry man brushed Rae's proposed aide off, waving his thick hand around the air. "Nah, you've done enough!" He scowled, throwing an empty cup in the trash with force. The huge mass of citizens didn't give a passing glance at the pair, just marching on like a troop of drone ants back to the colony.

Rae attempted to apologize again only for her stuttering to fall on uncaring ears. She, however, picked up the 'stupid bitch' remark the guy made walking off. Frowning, Rae shook her head and shoved her curled fingers into her short's pockets. Lovely way to start off the day! She rolled her eyes.

Another bend and Rae arrived at her workplace. _Nancy's Diner_ glowing red in her squinted vision. It was a nice little place to grab something to eat and the atmosphere was decent compared to other establishments in the area. The diner named after the owner's late wife borderline on Harlem, the more poor, unfortunate and sadly dangerous part of the city. She cast a quick peek at the neighborhood. Thankfully, it was her day off at her second part time job in that sector.

Pulling the glass door open, Rae was hit by the strong scent of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon. Grinning at patrons that recognized her from later shifts she headed towards the back to shut her bag inside Henry's office. Her manager greeted her kindly as she clocked in. Shoving a pen and pad of paper in her apron, Rae dove into the grind.

The little restaurant was buzzing with the noise of people, cell phones ringing with various tunes, newspapers being crumbled, and clicking and clattering of dishes. Orders flying in and out of the kitchen with impressive speed. Everyone left happy. Soon enough one o' clock rolled around. The time was when one certain customer showed. Rae kept glancing out peripheral vision each ring of the doorbell. Except he never did make an appearance.

A sigh left her down turned lips as she refilled the water pitcher. It wasn't surprising yet it did cause her to worry a bit. Rae didn't have crush on this guy either. The feelings were more friendly, sibling like in nature. Now that didn't mean she denied him being cute though but that's as far as it went.

The metal bell jingled once more before Rae's shift ended.

Peering upward at the entrance she was disappointed again. A young couple had come in and sat in Naomi's section. She was an aunt of two girls and boy whose mother passed away a few years ago. Trying to feed and clothe a trio of kiddos was hard enough with decent jobs in both parent's pockets. Naomi worked here and another establishment but with a knee that required surgery, she was often limping around in pain from table to table. Currently, she was resting on the end of the bar.

Noticing customers entered and sat in her area, Naomi went to stand when Rae intervened. "Take it easy for a little longer, kay?" She told with a hopeful grin. 

The middle aged woman nodded. "Gomawo,"

Rae grabbed their drinks and sent in their order ticket, leaving Naomi a copy before clocking out.

'What to do, what to do,' Her mind mused as she dove back into the sea of people. So much free time like this was rare. It was two o'clock and the day was still young. Maybe once she got lunch, she could take Thor to that big dog park she'd be looking at on Facebook. Or finally play the most recent video game she purchased. Thing was yet to be even unwrapped from the plastic! Then a small pile of books sitting forgotten on the shoe stand next to the door popped up.

"Damn it!" She groaned, sheer laziness kicking in at the library material. They were due back today but the library was totally opposite of everything she wanted to do. Well, if she ran to the apartment and forgo lunch, then all the other stuff would fall into place.

She did have all night too.

* * *

 

The night had fallen and in it death moved swiftly. Vaun had been granted leave to take care of the loose ends he had created. He had stalked the criminal group days prior, their paths going all over the city but always returning to the spot of his misstep. They dealt in various illegal activity but this garage appeared to be their venue of trading acquired, he used that term lightly, vehicles.

Vaun waited in the shadows for all members to gather. He could recognize a few were missing. He'd stay until every single one that witnessed him arrived. This went against the old laws of sustaining human life but it was also just as crucial to remain unknown. Either they were recruited or removed. Since there was no need for mortal allies, Vaun had the task of the latter.

Unlike his brother in arms, Vaun held no pleasure in killing. Albeit that had been in his mentor's earliest years, but he himself had never experienced any kind of thrill from it. Reeping life was merely an extension of orders, keeping balance. In his best interest, Vaun distanced himself from such things.

The Hunter growled, a low sound no one could hear unless they were close.

Had he become so engrossed in his _strigoi_ half that any fleeting emotion was crushed beneath a rock of sensibility? Of course. One look at his teacher and it all made perfect sense. His brother was tormented; haunted by beloved faces of the past. Vaun had no wish to walk about the rest of his, hopefully, finite lifespan mirroring his brother.

Yet, there was always that small lingering deep within him. A desire for a companion, not on the level like his brother's necessarily. An individual not tainted by the night, that brought the stench of his masters.

Though who would accept him? His mind began the self torture. He glanced down at his gloved hand. Sharp claws were hidden under the Velcro. Should he reach out, they'd flee. His appearance alone would steer any potential comrades away. Deathly pale, bright red eyes, and razor like fangs were against him. It was easier for the fellow Born to acquire companionship in older years. A simple purchase lead from thing to another. Vaun had no such privilege.

Although, hadn't one already be kind to him?

His hooded skull turned to the west. Vaun had noticed in sweeping the perimeter this area in which his targets met, the mortal who saved him lived mere blocks away.

_Rae._

He knew little to none about the female human except she had attempted to give him care after he behaved so savagely towards her. Vaun inwardly snarled at the his falter which lead to acting like a _strigoi_ without it's mind, nearly killing an innocent. Still, he calmed, had she not been kind-hearted?

Vaun pursed his mouth. She certainly had been morbidly curious...

 _Nevermind._ He stood from his crouched position. Casting an eye below, the entirety of their people had yet to show. He had no idea if the rest intended to attend this gathering. Perhaps it would be wise to leave and return on a later date when the job could be fulfilled properly.

 _I can't do this to her._ He thought. Imposing his ludicrous need for someone at his side on her. Though without any prompting from his brain, his legs were already on the move towards the mortal's residence. Vaun blinked rapidly. Why in the world was he doing this?! He should be back there and completely the task! A lurch in his rib cage made him wince. And what this feeling making his stinger twitch so? He was not thirsty. Fear? Not exactly...

He lept from rooftop to the next. Soon the familiar residence mere feet in distance from him. Vaun gracefully jumped on the edge and landed without much noise on the fire railing. It felt like the unneeded air in his lungs kept leaving him in rushes causing him to click nervously.

Ah, yes. He was _anxious_.

Vaun shook his head at the silly behavior and stepped down. He was over four hundred years old! This was ridiculous.

Approaching like fog, Vaun peered in the window at the unsuspecting mortal.

She was sitting cross legged on the couch he had woken up on with a device sitting in lap. A sound of coin and cheering came from the rectangle and she let a string of curses. "What the actual fuck?! I get Ares down to practically nothing and you guys do shit!?"

He frowned. Foul mouthed little thing...

A rapid succession of thudding arrested Vaun's attention from Rae. Before he could prepare himself, her dog had charged at the glass and viciously snarled at him; biting at the barrier to get at the stalking vampire.

_Gods!_

Vaun let out a startled series of clicks and fell backwards off the fire escape.

Enhanced reflexes helped grabbed onto the next level in time. His fingers curled around the steel as he hung there hissing in humiliation and anger.

_Infernal animal!_

The fallen half breed glared daggers at the space the hound occupied in his thermal vision. Most animals, especially dogs, feared and loathed his kind. So in turn, Vaun while did no harm to them; he did not seek them out or attempt any friendly contact.

"Horrid creatures." He spat, flipping upwards to settle his body on the current level.

Placing his forearms on his knees, Vaun let out a rattling sigh. This already was not boding well for him at all. His frame froze deadly still when the window slid open and the dog hopped out. It sniffed him out and started to bark down at his perch. Rae had exit the apartment as well.

"Thor, dude, can you not?!" She shouted at her furry protector.

Praying to whatever would listen to one as him that she did not spot him. Rae got down on her uncovered knees and squinted. "Um, I can see you."

The fates were cruel.

His jaw became slack, unsure of what to say. Vaun didn't believe he actually had the gall to come here! Doubts of what to reply with filled his frantic mind.

"It's you, the... wanna be elf from last month, right?"

The Born felt his eye twitch. "I told you before, I am not an elf!" He scowled, reaching up to grab onto the joining stairs. Hauling himself back up into her sight, Vaun kept himself braced on the escape intend to correct her poor identification. She quickly took hold on the ruffled dog. Vaun openly returned the growl.

"Excuse me then, what are you?" Rae rose a brow over the rim of her glasses.

 _Persistent woman_. "I shall tell you if that beast of yours returns inside." He frowned at the pet tugging on it's owner.

Shrugging, Rae agreed and shoved Thor back through the window. Wiping shed fur off her hands, Rae turned to Vaun expectantly.

"Listening," She leaned against the brick wall. He pushed back the hood obscuring his features. The gentle breeze caused the tips of his ears to flick. "You must have theories."

"Sure. But I'd rather hear it from you, Spider-Man." She grinned. The flesh of his brow rose. "Spider...what?" The woman waved her hand in dismissal. "Forget it. Seriously, tell me."

His eyes narrowed in distrust. Getting off the guard rail, Vaun advanced on the mortal. Propping his arms on both sides of her head, he caged her with his body. Vaun glowered at Rae menacingly.

"Why aren't you afraid?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the read! Please continue to tell me your opinions!
> 
> Gomawo is Korean for 'Thank you'. So Wiki How tells me. Inform me if this is incorrect and I will change it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so lazy with this.... there is no excuse really. Although, I have become smitten with the Dagda Mor recently so most of my muses have gone to him lol. So sorry, that's not funny probably. Anyways, this is NOT dead! Never worry about that.
> 
> Love you all!

Rae stared up at the intimidating creature that braced her up against the cool brick wall. Fear did pool in her stomach but her nerves caused her mouth to run without thought.

"My Mum always did say I was a little on the self endangerment side." She hopelessly shrugged her shoulders.

"Your mother is not wrong." He grumbled. "I detect your fear yet, you do nothing?"

Those crimson eyes stared at her like she was a difficult puzzle, missing a common piece.

She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. "If I am right on what you are, why bother?"

He blinked his coal and bloody coloured eyes and backed away. "I will not harm you. You have my word on that." Vaun promised.

Rae looked over the top rims of her glasses at him. "Can I trust you?"

He stared at her, expression guarded. "What do you believe?"

The night Rae had come across him, wounded and maybe bleeding out to death, he had attacked her. She had a feeling then and now, that was a instinctual reaction. He hadn't raised a harmful hand towards her when he regained consciousness. While she knew this guy could probably kill her in two second flat, Rae also figured there was something human about him.

"I'm not dumb. There's a part of me saying not to but I don't even trust regular folks. It wouldn't be fair if I gave you a zero chance." She explained, folding her arms beneath her chest.

"Even after I tell you about myself?" He countered.

She nodded.

Vaun sighed. He was unsure of where to begin. It was easier when Sun Hunters were recruited. Those humans had already seen his kin, witnessed what they were capable of. He could rattle off the various methods of destroying them, what to be careful of, and what would happen if they became. Telling another about himself, the oddity he was in the _strigoi_ world, was more difficult than imaginable.

"You wanna go inside?" Rae asked, seeing he was having trouble. Vaun glanced at her window. The dog had returned. It bared it's sharp at him as if it knew what Rae had offered.

He shook his head. "I'd rather remain out here, thank you."

Sensing her furry friend glaring down the guy, Rae smacked the glass and told him to go to bed. Once the animal gave up in staying at the window, only to move on the couch and watch over, Rae sat on the fire escape.

He stared as she crossed her ankles and sat on the metal, feet tucked beneath her thighs. She grinned and pat the empty space across from her. He really didn't want to...

"I'll keep calling you an elf if you don't correct me."

The nonchalant attitude of this girl irked Vaun. Surely, humans hadn't evolved so much that their baser instincts had become so dull that they'd allow him so close or goad his temper! He frowned. Vaun didn't possess much of a temper unlike his mentor. Then again, his brother had many things to get angry over. He did not.

"Fine," He conceded and took the place before the mortal woman.

Her eyes seemed to get brighter as he sensed her climbing excitement. A splash of worry hit him. What if he disappointed her? He knew the tales the humans created in the image of his kind. The vampires of this age were described as inhumanly attractive, blended in with society, some were even immune to the sun. He'd probably fall short of her expectations. He grit his fangs. Why did he care? Let her be struck from fiction with reality.

But where to start?

"You're not absent minded. You know what I am." He began, not looking at her. "There are many words for my kind: undead, vampyre or vampire, shtriga, vrykolakas. From the old world, we are called _strigoi_ and my masters use the term still."

A 'Ooooh, I knew it!' Vaun heard from Rae, hands covering her mouth.

"But do not mistake me for the type in your modern time." He warned. "I thirst for mortal blood. The sun will burn my flesh to ash. And I do not go parading about as if I were human." Vaun had heard about a book series depicting certain vampires that curbed their hunger for human blood and replaced with animal. He curled his lip at that. Animals tasted horrid and were used as a last resort. It could never sustain a _strigoi_.

Unsure how to continue this Vaun let the air between them grow silent. He knew humans were so curious creatures; she was bound to have questions and many of them. Ones he could pick and chose which to answer and not. If his Old Ones did find out about the human, the less she knew the better.

Suddenly, she broke into a barrage of quickly paced questions. The girl spoke so rapidly Vaun would have been unable to keep up were it not for his advanced hearing.

"One at time, woman." He growled, noting with tense eyes she had inched closer to him.

Her hands flew to her lips again. "I'm so sorry! I tend to ramble when I'm excited or nervous. Stupid habit I have... Anyways," Bright hazel orbs looked to him. "Do you sleep in coffins, or even sleep at all?"

He told her there was no need for apologizing how she was and then told her, "In a sort of ways, yes, I do sleep. It's more like a stasis in where I can be easily roused if needed. But no to the coffins. We sleep in a nest, a multitude of our own. It is more... comforting." Vaun had not slumbered near another in a very, very long time. Packs of _strigoi_ , including his group of five, took rest tightly nestled together. The last period of sleep Vaun shared with someone was with his brother, who was less than enthused with at the notion. Nevertheless, he allowed the younger Born to curl into him and restore his depleted energy. It made Vaun feel that much more alone when he realized just how much time had passed since then.

"You okay?" Her gentle voice knocked him from his pitiful musing.

"Fine. Why?" He asked, fangs showing slightly.

Rae tilt her head to the side. "Sorry, you looked pained. I'm sorry if I dug up stuff."

Vaun clicked, a bit amused now. "You apologize quite often. There's no reason to."

She flushed a little. "I can't help it, sorry. Damn it!" Registering she said it again, Rae berated herself. "I know it's annoying; had it nearly all my life. But I can't help it. I swear I've got a wire lose somewhere." The mortal began fiddling with the hem of her clothes, trying to distract.

"Please don't degrade yourself. There is no sense in it. I'd rather meet one that apologizes too much than not all. A vast percent of your population is far too proud or arrogant to do so." He muttered, gazing out over the city.

His words made her feel a little better yet it always lingered, mocking her in the far corners of her brain. Shifting to where she could tuck her chin on her knees, Rae watched the vampire dressed in black riot gear. He was different then not so much. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of him. A thought burst. She didn't even know his name!

"Um, what's your name by the way?"

He blinked as if he had forgotten where he was. "It's my turn to apologize. I know yours yet you are speaking to no better than stranger." His red orbs flickered down and up like he was shy before saying, "My name is Vaun."

"Vaun," She repeated. "Nice. It fits you. For the sake of manners, I'll introduce myself again." She rose her head a little over her knee caps. "Name's Rae."

That small yet warm grin spread her lips. He resisted the urge to return the gesture, afraid to scare her with his unnatural display of teeth.

"May I ask one more question?"

He motioned for Rae to go ahead.

"What were you doing out here? Before you came to my apartment, I mean. There's no way in hell you came all the way back here to just see me."

Vaun paused. Intuitive little thing. While she partly correct, he was hesitant to inform her. "I was... scouting."

She pursed her lips. "For?"

"You are awfully nosy." Vaun remarked.

"Thank you," She smiled, showing all her teeth.

He growled at her silliness. "It was not a compliment."

Gesturing for him to continue, Vaun relented and gave in. "When I assaulted you those nights past," He glanced at her. She remained impassive. "I was wounded."

Rae nodded. "Yeah, it looked like someone shot you."

"They did. I made an error in my hunt. I was foolish and staved off my feeding until I was too thirsty to maneuver properly. When the first bloodbeat flared in my vision, I took off like a strigoi without it's mind." His knuckles cracked as he recalled his blunder.

The aching need to quench the burning thirst in his throat was too much to ignore any longer. It thundered in his ears, caused his fangs to itch, and stinger to wrench painfully in his chest. Vaun had trained until the hunger was maddening. He should have gone to the pens but the insane lust for blood drove him off course. His instincts took over and the desire to hunt burned just as hotly as the thirst.

He had been too impatient to secure the area, locate a lone human. A heat signal came around the corner and he launched himself onto it with primal glee and satisfaction. Both which lasted meager seconds. Shouts of horror and rage echoed behind him followed by gunfire and pain.

"I attacked a young member of their gang. They discovered me as I fed off him. They saw my face and what I was doing to their fellow and shot at me. If my head was gathered, I wouldn't have suffered so many blows. I ran into that ally, fell unconscious, then you found me." He sighed, the stinger rattling along side the release of air.

"So," Rae stood and walked over to the railing. "You gotta make sure they don't come sniffing after you?"

"It would be rather unfortunate for them if they wandered into my area." Vaun said, joining her.

That Rae didn't doubt. Vaun mentioned he had masters, most likely meaning older and more dangerous vampires than him. Definitely a big no no for humans.

"Permanent silence, huh?"

Vaun studied her. "You are not bothered that I cull your kind?"

Rae frowned. "It does and doesn't. There's way too damn people on this earth but at the same time, I feel funny about knowing somebody's getting murdered though."

"I must do it. They will be angry at me if I do not."

She rose a brow. "Your 'masters'?"

"Yes," He knit his gloved fingers together. "They already will be upset seeing as I failed once more."

"Failed? What happened?" She craned her neck to see his face.

He meet her brown eyes with his crimson ones. "A member failed to show. I'd rather finish it in a single strike."

"Ah," She drummed her fingertips against the iron rail. "Do you live far off?"

"It is a trek to come here but it does not bother me. I like being... above ground."

Boldness rose within her breast. "So it could be easier if you had somewhere close?"

He rose the flesh of his brow. "Yes...?"

Rae thumbed in the direction of her apartment. "You're welcome to crash here until... ya know, the job gets done. I'm off work for two days."

Vaun was taken back. She invited him into her home knowing what he was, what he was to accomplish? Foolish mortal, giving death an easy way in. A more human thought crossed his mind. Her expression matched his for a split moment. Was she lonely as well?

It was not wise but he agreed.

* * *

 

Vaun returned to the dark pit that was his home. The air thick with the presence of the Ancients. They had awaited his arrival.

 ** _Born_ ,** Their voices echoed in his mind, coming as one loud and commanding tone.

 _Masters_. He bowed his head in respect.

 _ **The task has been completed?**_ Three of his pack appeared from the inky shadows, possessed.

 _No, my lords. A mortal did not attend the gathering._ Vaun opened his thoughts to be probed and searched. The time spent with Rae he kept chained under lock and key. If she was found out, it would not spell out an good end for either of them.

Sensing a part of memory they could not access, the Ancients hissed in irritation.

**_What is it that you guard, that you don't wish us to see?_ **

_Nothing, Old Ones. It is just of no relevance to the situation._

Molten orbs narrowed. They did not fully accept his reply but said no more about it. Instead they circled him, blasting his mind with their thoughts. A threat lingering beneath their words.

_I have established a camp nearby. Allow me two days and I'll snuff them out._

They retreated from his mind, speaking amongst themselves. Agonizing minutes passed before he was granted an answer.

_**Two days, Born. If you return a failure, the consequences will be dire.** _

_I understand gracious ones, thank you._


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters are shorter than I want but it's kind difficult to write these two in the newbie stages. I've got this written a bit further ahead and it is so much smoother. Oh well, we'll get through this hard patch eventually!
> 
> Season Three starts in the 3 days, guys! I'm so excited. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable icons in this story.

_Oh. My. God._

Rae chanted several times over and over, finger pads rubbing at temples while she paced throughout the small apartment.

Thor watched idly confused on the couch. What did she just do? Invite a blood drinking creature into her home with a bashful grin? Who was ninety-five percent sure going to kill people. The stupidity of it all!

"Holy shit, I'm turning into Sookie." She whispered, appalled.

Her canine friend let out a noisy sigh at her silly dismay and laid into curled ball. Rae ignored his comment and kept up the ridiculous comparing.

'It's not like he looks remotely like Bill! I mean, if I had to pick between the two-' Her inner rambling was cut short.

As if on cue, a soft knock echoed from her window. Rae yelped in surprise and ended up nearly falling on her ass. Another one of those strange noises Vaun made followed her stunt. Rae had to mistake the undertone of worry in his words.

"Rae? I'm sorry if I scared you... again." He grumbled the last bit, standing awkwardly before the window sill.

"Um, no, you're good. Don't worry about it." She stumbled about her words.

'I'm the idiot that initiated a _strigoi_ sleep over...' Rae fumbled with the lock on the glass, nervousness colouring her entire frame. Vaun could scent it even through the window. Perhaps the choice of taking her offer was foolish after all.

"Okay, you can come in." Rae slid the frame upwards, clicking into place. Suddenly a golden hue of fur scrambled to the opening and snarled viciously, according to his instincts, at the deadly intruder.

Vaun backed up, teeth bared, hissing at the dog. "I will not enter if _that_ is still free to roam."

"I'm just gonna add this to my 'Rae is a frickin' dumbass' list..." She mumbled, reigning Thor in by his blue collar. The dog fought the whole way, twisting and turning in her grip. He released one final gruff growl before the door was slammed in his face. Rae sighed, resting her forehead against the wood. "Why do you gotta be so full of it, Thor?"

"It is more my fault than his." Vaun said, dipping beneath the window frame and entering her living room.

Rae shoved off the wall and joined him. "How come? You're not like a ghost."

He glanced over her space. Not much had altered since he had last been in here. It did seem Rae had attempted to spruce up before he returned. The effort almost made him grin.

Unsure where to seat himself, Vaun remained standing. "I am unnatural; neither dead or alive. Most animals react in similar ways."

She wanted to argue that but felt it was too abrasive. Obviously the guy had made up his mind on how he felt about himself. It wasn't her place to pry. Rae scratched the back of her neck. "Um, you're free to sit anywhere. It's all equally covered in dog hair."

Vaun let the corner of his lips to twitch, hiding the trying smile. "Thank you."

Rae nodded and took up her usual spot on the couch. No matter she was doing; watching TV, playing Destiny, or eating, Rae always tucked herself into the corner of the furniture. The vampire took this as a means of wanted distance so he placed himself on the far, opposite end. A deafening silence rang between them for a moment that felt to last forever until Rae spoke up.

"You can, uh, lean back ya know." She rose a dark brow at him.

He gripped the strap that held his weapon over his shoulder. It was unlike his den where he knew to place his things. This made him feel oddly clueless.

Rae finally noticed the weird gun on his back. It blended in really well considering all Vaun appeared to wear was black.

'Where the hell am I gonna stash that?'

 _I can deposit it in under the furniture if that's all right?_ His duel harmonic voice made her blink.

Rae flinched. "Not sure if I will ever get used to that." Her small laugh was unsure. Suddenly hearing a voice inside your mind normally meant bad things but apparently, as he displayed when they first met, it was just a regular ability.

He glued his red and black gaze to her floor. "Forgive me. I'm sure that I've mentioned before it's been a long time since I last really spoke to anyone, much less a female for that matter."

Hazel eyes studied the vampire for a second. That statement left much to ponder. Did he not talk that at all in general or did he rely on telepathy? And were females not common in his species or something?

"Well, I can't speak for every girl on the planet but, I don't bite." She said, trying to get him to take it easy.

Vaun nearly replied with, 'I do' but refrained. He merely nodded and it grew quiet again. God knew how many exact minutes ticked by until Rae blurted out, "So, are ya thirsty?"

He gave her a bewildered look.

She paled. "Um, wrong way to phrase that... Do you drink anything else besides uh, me?"

The vampire shook his head. "I do not." Rae fidgeted. "Should've figured that." Eager to change the topic, she jumped on the next she could think of. "

Erm, you said before that you don't talk to girls that much." He blinked once. Taking that as a signal to go on, Rae continued. "Are there not women of your kind or just don't mingle often?"

Vaun placed his gloved hands on his knees. "I suppose there were females at one point but _strigoi_ are a genderless creature."

Rae sat up. "Huh? What's that mean exactly?"

This was simple, he had repeated this until it was like mediocre trivia. 

"When a human is bitten, they become infected; host to a single worm that multiplies rapidly. As the parasites spread, symptoms occur; some mistaken for a common cold or other sickness." He explained, watching Rae as he spoke. She appeared to listen intently.

He continued. "During the first twenty-four hours the human will experience ringing in the ears, blood shot eyes, and a sore throat. Over the course, stranger things shall happen. Teeth will become loose and detached, your hair will die and fall, then pain follows as other _attachments_ begin to decay." Rae's eyes widened a fraction at his implication.

"And then, the blood hunger emerges. The ringing will vanish only to be replaced by a voice. That is the voice of your maker," His gaze darkened. "It will guide you, urge you to drink. As you succumb to it, instinct takes over and the corrupted mortal will seek who is closest in it's heart and turn them as well." He finished.

Rae breathed out. "That is kinda fucked up."

Vaun rolled his eyes at her language but agreed. "Yes, it is indeed. My kin are a plague on this earth."

"Humans aren't that much better. We tear down nature like you guys suck us dry like a juice box." She shrugged.

Such an odd thing Rae was, Vaun thought. Comparing taking the life of a person to the sundering of a tree. But she did have a point. His masters did know mankind faltered in their grand design and became lost in their technology and greed. Still, that didn't excuse the youngest of his masters for it's ungodly thoughts.

"True yet that doesn't forgive us for going against the very laws of nature." Vaun never had a positive outlook on his state. His mother had been plagued late in his conception and was unable to bear both the pain of transformation and his birth. She died. Leaving Vaun alone and confused in the world.

Rae wanted to ask why Vaun felt like he needed be sorry for being how he was. It's not he like he sought out this life. She sure didn't see anybody apologizing to him but she bit her tongue. "So if you bit me in that ally then I'd be vamped out?"

Vaun shook his head. "No. I am not like the others. Should I drink you, nothing would happen."

It was a white lie he told. If Vaun did taste her, he wasn't sure if he possessed the will to stop. While her blood was not the type he favored, Rae's scent was alluring in a way he was not familiar with. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact she was female? Vaun was not sure. His stinger churred with the bizarre interest. He zipped his collar further up his neck not wanting her to see his feeding organ twisting in his throat.

Vaun didn't want to scare her off.

Rae re adjusted her glasses. He made those weird noises again. It almost sounded like a cat. She felt like she was pressing him for so much information but Rae wanted him to clarify what he meant about being different.

"Can I ask you one more thing?" She spoke softly. He gave her a stiff nod. "You called yourself different from the others. Why?"

That caused a reaction Rae could notice. He seemed to gnash his teeth together and clenched harder on knee caps.

"That's enough." He growled in a cold voice.

"O-Okay," She stammered, bringing her legs up beneath her chin. 'Piss off a vampire, good going Rae.' She harped on herself. Rae knew she was prying too much but her curiosity won over too often. People always became annoyed with her over such tendencies. Either she spoke too much and too loud, or not much at all. There was never a middle ground between her and people; hence the lack of friends.

A social butterfly was not her spirit animal. Rae was more like the awkward caterpillar munching on that leaf in the far corner.

Vaun sensed what his tone had done and felt strangely bad for it. On one hand the mortal should mind her own business but on the other, he could understand the overwhelming curiosity and the need to sate it. He had felt similarly when he first heard of his brother in arms. Vaun had been over eager to make an impression, to please. He acted akin to a child with an elder sibling; trying imitate perfectly and keep up.

His teacher picked up on his foolish behavior and became more strict on him. Vaun ended up failing more than once. It was the hardest five years he ever endured. Eventually Vaun had earned a 'good enough' status from him and was left in charge of Vaun's cousins; to train them as he had been trained.

There was no reason to be so harsh on her. She did nothing in reality. An instinct rose that bade him to purr for her, attempt to soothe the whipped emotions. He swallowed that as quickly as it appeared.

"Rae," He tilt his head, trying to meet her gaze. Her light brown orbs flicked to him then away a second later. "I'm sorry. It's just... been quite a long time since I last told a soul about myself. Allow me to gather my thoughts so I may be able to properly tell you."

She wove her thin arms around her shins and sighed. "It's okay. I shouldn't be so forward."

He trilled and eased enough to let his lips smile a little. _Maybe but, if I did tell you everything tonight, there would be no questions left for tomorrow._

Rae grinned at that. "True."

She peeked at the clock in the kitchen. It was past one thirty in the morning. Vaun followed her line of sight. "If you are tired, please don't stay up on my account."

Rae stifled a yawn. "But what are you gonna do?"

Vaun didn't appeared to be bothered with keeping occupied. "Don't worry about me. Sleep."

Begrudgingly accepting it Rae rose, turned off most the of the lights, then bid him goodnight. Of course the moment she opened her door, Thor had start up with the barking fit.

"Hush it!" She hissed. "I don't need Franks bringing his rudeness over right now!"

Rae threw a blanket over the crate the animal was locked in. "Vaun's not gonna hurt us so get over it." She mumbled.

She peeped around the frame of the door. "I'm gonna shut this in case he wakes up and gets all pissy again."

The vampire nodded. "I understand."

Rae gave him a timid wave before softly closing the door.

* * *

 

Vaun didn't move for at least forty minutes after Rae retired for bed. At first, he couldn't pry his eyes from the entrance to her room. He didn't understand why. The half breed mulled it over for a while until he concluded he merely got distracted. Not fully believing himself, Vaun removed himself from the sofa and shoved his gun under it.

He moved throughout her home with mute footfalls. The apartment felt cramped but not so confining as his own quarters. From the living space, which contained the sofa, small table and TV, it was about five feet from the main entrance. A pair of shoes littered the rug near the door and hanging on a wooden rack above them was a thick blue leash, ring of keys, and an folded umbrella.

Vaun traveled back over to the kitchen tucked into the corner, separated by half wall. The usual amenities filled the eating area, albeit old and worn. It was not very accommodating for more than two bodies, and that was pushing it. A beaten wood door held cleaning supplies and trash bin. He felt curious about what foods humans ate besides the disgusting things being cooked on the streets. He was disappointed as Rae cabinets didn't hold much within them. Frowning, he wondered if the female fed regularly. She did appear awfully waifish.

Growling under his breath, Vaun returned to the main area. A strange symbol hung near the television, one he could not recognize to save his life. Two thin shelves lined up next to each other on the wall next to him, filled with what he guessed was motion pictures she liked. He did want to learn about her but snooping about her things was not a favorable approach...

The tiny hall, if he could call it that, was short and lead to a washing facility and Rae's personal chamber. Vaun paused when he reached the door. Inside he could her heart beat in the slow rhythm of slumber alongside her golden beast's. It was oddly a soothing sound to him.

The beat reminded him of his mother's, the first and last lullaby he ever received. Vaun found himself staring at it again. Hissing under his breath, he tore himself from it.

These two days may be longer than he first imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Vaun is okay for you all. He's more OOC right now as this is one head canon I have for him. All shy, kinda insecure, and blocked off from humans. Rae will the most recent mortal he's spoken to on a personal level in about two hundred years. The further we go, the more he'll go into the Vaun we (kinda) know with some of my quirks thrown in. I hope you lovelies can follow me through until the end. ^^;
> 
> Let me know your thoughts! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howedy! I'm just gonna cut it short and say I hope you all can forgive the lack of updating on this in light of a long chapter! :D

Sunlight broke through the spell of night and shone brightly on everything beneath it. Much to the chagrin of the vampire trapped between the kitchen wall and sofa.

Vaun glared at the ray of light pouring forth from the window onto the wooden flooring. Unused to having an opening such as this to secure he had been caught unaware and forced to sit, brooding over the silly situation. Four hundred years old and this is what he had to show for it; being cornered in a human's cooking facility.

"This is embarrassing..." He growled, tucking his legs closer to himself as the beam grew.

'Rae should awake soon.' Vaun thought too matter of factly.

He hoped, rather, the mortal woman would rise within minutes. It would be vexing to remain hunched like this for an extended period of time.

The flutter of her heart beat changed slightly into a more energized thrum. Vaun let out a series of soft but relieved clicks. She was getting up! Her horrid pet too rose. It's blood pumping through it's body at the higher speed. He curled his lip at that. _Infernal creature._

Rae's bare feet padded across her personal space over to the door, the clicking of her animal's talons following. She squeezed through the opening and shut it before the thing could sneak out.

'Perhaps there is some sort of divine being.' Vaun spat dryly.

"Um, good morning?" Rae rubbed her eyes in attempt wake herself and in some confusion at his current predicament.

"Hardly," He commented, inching further the sun light. "I've been stuck here for at least two hours."

The setting clicked in her sleep muddled brain. Her glasses fell from the top of her forehead in the shock of it.

"Oh my God! I'm the biggest twit on this planet!" Rae freaked and dashed towards the blaring source of damnable light.

She tugged down a thick plastic screen and threw together the curtains with little characters designed in the fabric. Vaun was unable to identify those as well.

Rae turned to him then, visible upset. "Are you okay? I can't believe I left it open!"

"It's fine. I sustained no injury from the mishap." Vaun reassured her. It would've merely stung if he chose to bolt through it as he was covered in his thick militia gear but Vaun did not want to worry her anymore than she already currently was.

"You sure?" Rae frowned.

"Please don't fret on my account. It did not touch me." He insisted.

Rae tucked her bottom lip in and chewed it. Vaun felt this oddest reaction swell in his chest at the action. Hurriedly smashing that down, he noticed her glasses had gone down to the tip of her nose. He gently poked them back higher on the bridge of her face.

"Better yes?" This tool that aided in her sight would be useless at that level.

She blinked twice, a splash of crimson dusting her cheeks.

Vaun rose the muscle of his brow. "Are you alright?" Was she sick? Mortals often easily took to common colds and such.

Rae made a jumbled noise and flinched back from him. "Uh, yeah," Like that the rise of heat in her expression was gone. He'd never seen a fever come and go so quickly.

A thud and click was heard before the clattering of nails with a mission against the ground.

"Rae!" Vaun reeled back and jumped onto the counter, evading Thor and his maw of threatening fangs.

The owner returned the growl to her 'too smart for his own good' dog. He was able to twist handles with his teeth and gain access to pretty much wherever he wanted. Thor developed the habit of barging in and licking at the spray of water while Rae took a shower. Privacy was a commodity in this apartment...

"I'll get dressed and walk your golden ass, okay?" Rae argued with the animal, hauling it with her.

It gave out one more biting bark before it disappeared behind the bathroom door. Vaun returned the verbal remark with his own vicious snarl.

Rae rolled her eyes. "Boys..." She muttered, vanishing into the room as well.

Vaun slid off the counter top and made his way to the other side. He wanted something between him and that wicked thing when it returned. A few minutes passed and the two emerged from the washing area.

Rae was dressed in knee cut pants, a simple shirt with more designs on it and her mane tied back. Vaun actually found he didn't like her neck bared. For whatever reason his ludicrous mind came up with. Her fingers were knuckle white with the iron grasp she had on the dog's collar. Letting him on the loose was a bad idea since the pair didn't get along.

"Um, I'm going to walk him. I'll be back soon, okay?" She informed him, slipping on the pair of shoes by the door.

Vaun nodded. "Do you as you will."

* * *

 

Rae exhaled and sagged her shoulders once they exited the building. Unsurprisingly, she hadn't slept a full wink last night. People sleeping over almost caused her toss and turn every time but this was different. She laid awake for some time until curiosity roused her. Underline fear also chased away any rest that was to come.

Even though Rae repeated to herself over and over he wouldn't hurt her, the base instinct programmed into every human rustled anyways. Whispering how much stronger and faster Vaun was than her; the pointlessness of fighting back. Then of course the huge and only detail of his diet: blood.

An unsteady hand rose and rubbed over the pulse beating in her neck.

She heard him during the night, pacing around her apartment. At least twice he had paused at her door. Rae laid there deathly still, eyes glued to her room's entrance. But never did the knob twist.

Dozens of theories popped up to rationalize why. The foremost being maybe he was thirsty. That was half heartily shoved to the side as he didn't break in or lash out this morning. Vaun was sort of grumpy but being trapped by the one of, Rae wasn't aware of many things could kill him, the things that could perpetually harm indefinitely was not a great way to start the day.

Others varied from the popularity of vampires and their fan-girls lustful dreams of being ravished by them, to the base and simple feeling of loneliness. Vaun had mentioned he wasn't like the other vampires. Did that imply he wasn't a full blooded one then?

Dhampirs were common in literature during this stream of time. They were treated like trash in more than a single scenario. The characters always having a grievance towards the vampiric father(whether sperm related or not), tossed in the role of blood whores, or even experimented on. Half human, half vampires rarely fared well in their stories.

Was that reason behind his reluctance to shed light on himself? Had he been mistreated?

Thor jarred Rae from her pondering to run and sniff at the post box. She rolled her eyes at the animal's urge to never fail at investigating this particular mailbox while he smelled happily wagging his curled tail.

"Is there some female dog that you like who stops here frequently? What the hell, Thor?"

No reply obviously. She was speaking to a dog. Forty minutes had ticked by since they left Vaun alone in the apartment.

Time to turn back and perhaps ease her odd roommate out of his shell.

* * *

Rae stared with pouted lips, disappointed.

During her absence Vaun had re-positioned her sofa, making sure no sun would hit him, and fallen asleep. It was kinda cute though. The vamp was facing towards the door, curled into himself, and his hood covering most of his scarred face.

Hell, were those scars? She made a mental sticky note to ask later.

Thor growled lowly at the snoozing vampire on the furniture but didn't dart over and try to chow down. Progress maybe? Rae rose a brow in doubtful hope.

She let him inch closer to Vaun. His wet nose twitching as he smelled. Of course Rae was right. Thor curled his lips and just about opened his teeth to bite one of the booted feet that dangled off the edge before she yanked on his leash.

"Why? Why can't you just not?" Rae mumbled under her breath as the dog writhed to escape and finish what he nearly started.

Successful in boxing Thor back in her room Rae returned to where Vaun lay, unsure what to do next. She huffed. Awkwardness riddled her body. There was some stuff that needed to be done but suddenly felt weird to work around a 'Z' catching vampire. What if she woke him up?

'Ninja skills put to the test then,' she thought.

Creeping around her personal space Rae tidied up. The kitchen was swept and rubbed down. Clothes were picked up and thrown in the basket. Other random chores completed within two hours. Vaun still hadn't moved an inch.

'Sleep of the dead,' Rae blew a strand of unruly hair out of her vision.

Deciding there was nothing else to accomplish, she brushed a finger tip over the PlayStation and it beeped to life. Grabbing the control Rae wiggled into her corner and waited for it load up. Menu screen music floated from the speakers throughout the living room yet Vaun still hadn't budged. Easy to wake my ass, Rae rolled her eyes and selected the digital downloaded game **Smite**.

Quests were simple to complete although after a few failed rounds of Joust, Rae was losing her cool. All she needed was one more win to fulfill her dailys but the servers keep slotting idiots into her team!

"Just abandon your Guardian, that's cool guys." She grumbled, watching her god Xing Tian collapse for the third time in a row.

"You're being too hasty." Vaun's duel harmonic voice startled Rae.

She narrowed her hazel gaze. "Creeper." He cocked his head to side, not understanding.

"I'm supposed to set up or guard. These idiots haven't been paying attention and just leave me when I have the enemy trapped, easy to kill."

"Communication is a must have in a close knit group like your own." He stated.

"I know," She purchased her latest item, only having Xing half way finished to full build thanks to these goobers.

"But they don't listen or care! I've done my part so neh!" Rae flashed her light pink tongue out at Vaun.

He just stared at her, unblinking. Rae was such an oddity to him. Females never acted this way but here she was, telling the others interacting with her match that could repeatedly could go fuck themselves. Vaun shook his head. Despicable choices for words...

If Vaun did learn anything from this encounter, it would be the very colorful language used in these current years.

"The damage you are doing is rather... poor." He told her, studying the bars floating over top of figures heads. "Unless I am incorrect in which meant for your health. Rae, if the blue represents the opponent's survival status, you are doing far worse than poor."

The female hunched and glaring at him from the edge of her eye. "The green is their health bar. I'm not damage Vaun. I wear the enemies out and then let my team end them."

Ah, that reason made sense. "I didn't believe one as you could be so bad at the... video game?"

Rae stilled, slowly turning her neck to give him an expression he hadn't seen before. It was a mixture of disbelief, hurt, and underlined anger. Xing Titan roared as he was killed yet again. The team surrendered. Defeat glared in dark red.

Vaun swallowed at Rae's worsening mood. "I think you took that wrong."

Instead of what Vaun expected, Rae pouted and selected a different type of battle. Another god was picked and they entered an arena. Twenty-five minutes later, the enemies' portal exploded and 'Victory' glowed on the screen.

"Stick that in your juice box and suck it, Vaun!" Rae exclaimed, bright with pride over her triumph.

Admittedly, she did perform better controlling the god Thanatos but her score was not too impressive.

"You died eleven times and claimed seven kills, Rae." He said rather dryly.

"Still won!" She said hotly.

"Racing after a wounded solider and being pinned then destroyed by three other gods tarnishes the victory." Vaun frowned. If she were in actual combat, Rae would be among the very first to perish.

"But I got'em." Rae argued.

"That matters little when you also die." He countered.

She deflated some. "I killed those guys when I activated my ultimate! Got two birds with one scythe."

He crossed his arms. "While that was mildly impressive-"

"Thank you!" Rae smiled.

Vaun shot her a queer look. "That was not a compliment."

Rae shrugged and exited the game. A pregnant silence built up between them until Vaun eased it.

"That stage reminded me of a comrade of mine."

She paused shifting through titles in Netflix. "The arena?"

It was modeled after the famous Roman Colosseum. That meant this friend was dirt old! Should he still be kicking that is.

"Yes, he fought for his life in the arena during his youth before going on to be high ranking general. He trained me what I am today." He informed.

"Wow, you have a senpai." Vaun didn't catch the joke. Rae dropped it.

"So, he's gotta be old then if he was a gladiator."

He nodded. "He's much older than I, probably out live me as well; considering what he has already lived through."

Alive then, Rae confirmed. She threaded her arms around her ankles. "Is he like you too?"

Vaun tipped his chin in a stiff nod. He had not fully revealed what made him different from his undead kin.

"We are the same in certain aspects. Our creation on shared grounds; born mutts into a race of purebreds."

Her early dreading was on point then. "Half-human and half-vampire..." She mumbled.

"Yes. Cursed to living a half-life, unable to fit properly into either side." He said, a hitch of pain in his tone.

Rae felt for him. Nearly all her existence had been balled into categories like: too poor, too shy, too skinny, ugly, over-achiever to lazy fool. Eventually she was labeled as just plain strange and left to her own devices. She got worn out by her early twenties. Rae just trudged on, trying not to let people effect her. If there was a blue ribbon for trying...

"People are asses. The bizarre need to place things, even human beings into brackets, it's what keeps screwing up everyone." Rae scoffed.

Vaun watched her as he listened. "Nobody is going to like a perfect square in their puzzle. We're all different shapes and colours but not each go with every puzzle box. Doesn't mean people have the excuse to be utter twats!" Further she bitched on, the more her accent showed up. Vaun looked surprised when Rae concluded.

"You're English?"

She blushed. "You're not the only 'mutt' around here." It flared when Rae grew upset or annoyed. A genetic habit she was made fun of with in her elementary years. Over time it faded until it sparked in arguments or sob fests.

Rae leaned back in the sofa, one forearm resting on her knee as she pouted with air of aggravation.

"What makes you so different from your teacher?" She grumbled.

Vaun grinned at her a little. "We differ in psychical appearance some what. He comes across a tad more human than I. His eyes are a pale blue compared to my own red which reflects strongly in normal _strigoi_."

He went on how his brother in arms could tolerate more direct sunlight than he was able. Even Vaun did use the same methods his mentor practiced in past times, he would have to retreat sooner still. "I would die if kept under prolonged exposure." Vaun spoke quietly.

"Okay, you have a super allergy to sun. Florida would be literal hell for you." Rae tried to lighten his mood. It didn't seem to pull him either way.

"Are there more dhampir besides you and mystery badass?"

Vaun looked confused at the term. "Dhampir?"

"Uh, yeah, at least that's what vampire fiction calls beings like you." She explained. "Is there another word?"

"My masters refer to us as The Born." He told her. "My brother and I are all that remain. The others' signal have faded away."

That sounded awful depressing being almost the last of your already dismal ratio kindred. Rae did attempt to reassure him maybe they were out of reach or something, like a cell phone reception. Vaun felt gratitude at her endeavor but he knew the truth of the deafening silence among the links they shared. His siblings had gone from this plain of existence into whatever horrid reality awaited the damned.

Evening had touched the earth, blanketing New York in the dark covers of night. They had been conversing unknowingly for a lasting time. Rae's stomach growled. Vaun's acute hearing didn't miss it.

"Should you prepare yourself food?" He asked.

"Are _you_ gonna eat?" Rae reflected the question. 

Both were semi curious what the other ate but neither folded.

"I am not hungry." Vaun became suddenly interested in the opposite side of the apartment.

'Mhm,' Rae gave him a flat look. The morbid inquisitive nature peeked through again. Images of of Alucard and Jared Nomak filtered in her mind. Vaun didn't seem to match either vampire in the act of feeding. At least, that's what she believed. She had yet to witness whether or not he suckled the necks of virgin women with sharpened canines or had a wide gaping maw that would make a Yautja piss his pants.

Awkward seconds died away until the impatient scratching rattled Rae's bedroom door.

"I should begin now." Vaun declared, rising from the couch. It was returned in it's original position in a whirlwind of motion causing Rae to leave her brain behind somewhere near the TV. Vaun had donned his weird gun before she could shake the dizzy spell he created off.

"Next time, warn a bitch before you spin the world." Rae slowly got up.

"Language," Vaun muttered under his breath, checking for his weapons where they should be.

He strode over to window and unlatched it. Ducking beneath the frame, Rae's words froze him. "Good luck, I think?" Her small hand rested on the knob. "And be careful,"

Vaun was only to manage a rumbling thanks, unable to face her, those words, before his body shoved off and down the fire escape.

A funny feeling churned in his stomach as he stalked the unlit alleys, her departing wish echoing over and over in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any recognizable characters mentioned.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No excuses, none. I am not worthy! Dx

The night life of New York City went un-phased by the pale hooded creature that prowled within the shadows.

Vaun kept far from any busy street or source of light. Another accidental sighting would not bode well for him. The Originals, while great in their knowledge, did not possess much in patience. Should he blunder again, Vaun doubted a second chance. 

These circumstances caused him to marvel at the being that was his so called brother.

Quintus Sertrious.

A Born spawned by the youngest of the Ancients; the fifth to be created. The second to remain alive. He was birthed to a slave woman then captured, forced into the gladiator pits. From the sands mixed with the blood of foes, beast and mortal alike, his legacy began.

Rising from a mere slave to entertain the greedy masses of the Colosseum to a most revered general in the Roman Empire. Centuries drew on, many other iconic figures passing into history, but Quintus stood fast against the ultimate mortal demise, an infinite amount of time before him.

Conquests were sieged and won. Reign and fall of numerous kings and queen were witnessed. Before Vaun had been conceived, Quintus had denied his masters service. Taking on a role that crossed the Born's mind often in his later years; a provider, a husband and father. He had done much impressive acts in his long life.

While these feats did indeed cost the Born greatly, Quintus never told Vaun that he once regretted them.

Secretly, hidden from his masters, Vaun admired Quinlan-his current name for the past two hundred years- and wondered if ever he could have the chance to become somewhat like him.

The nerve to refuse an Original was mind boggling to him. Vaun owed his life to the one who turned his mother. It found him shortly after she died. Instead of destroying him like their law dictated the Ancient spared him.

He was raised, forged rather, to be a tool. The ultimate guard to protect them and carry out their will. Vaun did many actions in their name, for the sake of humanity. Deeds he believed to be worthy of praise from his brother.

Quinlan did not care or was neither impressed.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth. The stake gun tied over his shoulder, a weapon he crafted himself, became heavy. Vaun failed in retrospects to his peers but well favored in the eyes of his creators. Was that the true loss?

The more impractical side, the human part of his soul, agreed.

Vaun understood he was unnatural, an abomination to both human and _strigoi_. Stuck balancing on a fence between mortal and undead.

He paused beneath a flickering dome of light. Moths fluttering with a frantic pace about the source. The center of a thought Vaun kept shoving down and down into the dark depths, re-emerged at this falter.

Rae, the out of place human he left back in her small flat. He had met her, by chance and embarrassment but nevertheless, was that not an achievement to be even slightly proud of? She did not try to harm him after his purely instinct driven attack, neither did she react poorly when viewing his inhuman features. Vaun had been invited to return in peaceful gesture. No mortal had ever treated him so fairly.

He curled his covered talons in a tight grasp of sudden but light hope.

The idea skittered across his anxious mind before he could stop it. Of course this would have to be discussed with his brother in absolute discretion unless Vaun wished for the kind woman to be put in harm's way.

Tires coming to a halt and engines being turned off made the Born revert into the hunt. Scents that were familiar along with voices on the wind reminded him of why he was here in to begin with. First things were first...

* * *

Rae sat with her legs folded neatly beneath her thighs, staring out the window to where Vaun had disappeared to. The rattling of kibble in Thor's bowl long since drifted into stuttering snores as the canine dreamed.

It had been a decent amount of passed time and no sign of the red eyed hybrid. She began to worry some.

The feeling was beyond irrational; it was illogical. Why be fretting over a member of a species that fed on humans? Shouldn't she be grateful he wasn't showing up?

Her thick eyebrows knit together in frustration.

She normally didn't berate herself over such topics. Of course not everyone met a half vampire half human. But Rae wasn't one to rebuke something for it's oddity. In fact, she embraced such things. The grey was the most interesting between white and black of reality.

Ever since Rae was little she had been in that in between space. Being shoved repeatedly into it by peers as she didn't hold the same interests of those around her. Instead of song birds or prancing ponies, Rae enjoyed fire breathing dragons and dark magic of sorcerers.

Freak and weirdo were the snide names thrown in her face. Eventually, she'd come to see those as kind words, blissful remarks, while Rae progressed further in the academics. Withdrawing deeper and deeper in the veil until all that remained was this meek and unsure woman.

The window shuddered as she hit the glass with her forehead. Instinct pleaded with her to see reason, to ignore and forget the hybrid. Although, did that not make her the same if not worse than those in her young life? She sighed.

"Are you troubled?" That deep voice that sounded to overlap itself asked through the panel.

Rae gave a startled noise and recoiled from the window that separated her and Vaun's crouched form. His peculiar visage hidden by the low drawn hood.

"I am now, thanks to your Batman tactics!' She exclaimed, holding a palm over her rapidly beating organ.

Vaun gave his head a curious tilt, wine coloured eyes peeking beneath from the black rim. "Bat man?" He'd never heard of such a creature.

Somehow Thor wasn't aware of Vaun's return and curled on his pillow. Rae muttered a prayer of thanks for the luck under her breath as she wiggled the window open. She propped her elbows on the wood and sent Vaun a dubious look. "You've never heard of Batman?"

He shook his head.

Rae attempted to maybe jog his memory and rattled off other names the popular symbol was known by. "The Dark Knight? Savior of Gotham? Most underpaid clown therapist?" She ended with a cringy grin and hopeful twirl of her hand.

He blinked. "Afraid I have not." Bob Kane and Bill Finger wept.

Surely if such a human or creature, as the title suggested, existed, Vaun would've known of them. "Where is he located?"

Rae jabbed a thumb over her shoulder towards the rows of DVDs. "On my top shelve."

Vaun was confounded as he saw no one. "I don't fully grasp what you mean."

The disturbed geek began to explain that the being she was talking about was a comic book character made up for children and adults to read about. Or in newer instances, play in video games and watch on the big screen. He was a well recognizable icon if not their hero.

"So he is not real?"

"Nope. Well, you can dress up as Bats but the whole spandex thing is sorta frowned upon." Rae tugged gently on the hood. "This looks more comfortable."

 **Hold the fuck up.** Those regularly half-lidded hazel eyes widened.

Why did she do that? That was totally out the norm for her. Being in physical contact with anyone made Rae extremely uncomfortable. Another quirk that added to the pile of towering oddities. Noticing the minuscule flinch in Vaun's rigid stance informed her that he hadn't found much joy in it either.

"Sorry. I'm not usually so forward." Rae reeled her hand into her lap.

He pushed back the material hiding his scarred profile. "It's no offence. I am just not used to being... touched."

Okay. Awkward but same grounds, that's good?

Rae shook her head, eager to pivot the conversation else where. "So... uh... How'd your mission go?"

She believed a spark of pride flickered through those red eyes for a second. "Better than I first calculated."

Swallowing the nervous lump in her throat, Rae asked, "Easy then?"

He nodded. "Considering I've only been gone for precisely 90 minutes and 25 seconds, yes. They were quiet agreeable."

Did he have a stop watch hidden somewhere in those multiple pockets or... wait, agreeable? What did that mean exactly?

"They just stand there and let you," Rae made gun firing gesture with her fingers. "Bang, bang?"

Vaun blinked three times in quick succession. "I discovered an alternate route in sealing their silence. The gang members live."

Oh.

Rae poked her pointer digits together sheepishly. "Um, I'm sorry. Good job...yeah..." She trailed off.

Vaun frowned, the long lines at tips of his mouth became longer. "Don't apologize, I was vague. I became aware of their leader as I breached their territory. The knowledge my Masters gathered on the wealthy, legal or otherwise, was resourceful."

He shrugged with indifference. "I offered a deal they couldn't refuse."

She wanted to prod, really she did, but felt like she shouldn't. That meant, however, Vaun accomplished what he was sent out to do which gave him no reason to stick around.

"So now that's set and done, you go whenever it is you call home right?"

Vaun glanced away. "I will have to leave tonight."

The air hung between in the two until Rae drew up on the balls of her feet. "I hope they'll be happy with what you did, your masters I mean."

"It will be enough." Vaun still didn't look at her.

She drew her lips in a thin line. "Well, really cool to meet you."

Rae began to rise when a shadow darted towards her hand, not touching but near. She froze. Vaun leaned closer to her. His crimson gaze fixed on her light brown.

"I-I would like to return at a later date..." He grit his sharp teeth before relaxing. "If I have not thrown away my welcome."

The glasses slid down her nose again as she stared down at him, almost falling completely off. Heat rose from her collar bone all the way up to her cheeks. Vaun chuckled softly and carefully pushed them in their correct place.

"I have much to learn in the practices of humans."

"Uh...yeah." Rae accepted she'd receive another visit from him.

Unknowingly to either, a seed was planted that night. One that would grow into something neither could have expected.

* * *

Vaun entered the underground domain of the Ancients, confident in the results of this night. The Old Ones would be pleased at the notion of having lives spared and those lives turned into valuable allies. Even if greed was the core of the venture.

He was flanked quickly by three Hunters. They brought with them the stagnant cerebral mark of the Ancients leaking beneath their hoods. Each head turned in curiosity.

 _It...done...?_ The _strigoi_ on the mental leash of his masters were allowed a sample of how they used to function. They remembered nothing of their former selves, only the broken manner of speaking and whatever else the Originals deemed worthy of recollection.

_Yes. They are waiting I suspect._

They nodded in unison. Following in line behind him, the group headed towards the chamber where the Ancients stood in a state of slumber yet awareness. A state Vaun desperately hoped would not befall him.

He stood before them now. The great trio, their arms crossed in the daze of times gone and nightmares of what to come, roused at his presence. The middle Ancient cracked it's blood red orbs open first, settling on Vaun. It's brethren followed suit. All three voices merged into one demanding and powerful voice.

**_The humans, they are dealt with accordingly yes?_ **

_In a manner, yes._

They grunted. **_What does this mean?_**

 _I took it upon myself to forge an alliance of sorts. In trade for their lives, I extended a proposal: vast wealth for provision of weapons at any given command._ He informed his masters, hands folded behind him.

**_Life sparred._ **

**_Bold. Given without consent._ **

**_This is acceptable. The balance in favor._ **

Vaun was sure in the approach pleasing them. The was little backlash as he was not fully under their control thus being able to make decision without their permission in order to mold the situation better for them.

 ** _You have done well, Born._** They agreed as one.

One by one, the Old Ones receded into the dreams cape until his maker was left.

 ** _There is something you want._** It spoke, eyes narrow.

 _You are correct, my lord._ He stepped slightly closer. _I ask for a boon._

The vampire tilt its head. **_Out with it._**

 _Restore my freedom to walk above without acting solely in your grand purpose._ He had to chose his words carefully. Inciting an Original's wrath rarely fared well with the offender.

The Ancient's whole body jerked. Curiosity and annoyance waged in the being. Vaun waited patiently.

Granted. It snarled, retreating into sleep. Vaun bowed his head, exiting the bloody chamber, and walking to his personal rooms.

Closing the door behind him, the dhampir loaded his weapons into the locker and yanked back the hood. The blood hunger, always present, was mild and could wait after what business Vaun wanted to conduct. Leaning against the caged door, Vaun closed his eyes and concentrated.

The ability to speak telepathically between his Hunters was simple yet when one had to stretch that power to cross an ocean, it proved difficult. It took a few straining moments but he finally made contact.

 _Brother,_ A century felt to trickle by before the other responded, surprised.

_Vaun?_

He crossed his arms and prepared himself for the onslaught of questions and lecturing. _Hello, Quinlan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quinlan in the next chapter folks!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! This chapter will be the beginning of the all the stuff we wanna see these two get on with. The chapters I've been having a delight in writing. XD 
> 
> A special thank you to Majinkura for doing her Beta thing! :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Quinlan was roused from his processing the report in his ever growing angry grip by a voice he hadn't heard in many months. He ushered his assistant out with a wave of his pale hand. Slapping the thin pile of papers onto a neatly set desk, Quinlan turned his attention to the younger Born.

 _What is it?_ He asked, both surprised and intrigued yet also mildly aggravated by Vaun's sudden reach out.

 _Have I interrupted something?_ Nothing, Quinlan glared at the sheets of useless information. Literally nothing was put to pause as there was no evidence to put him motion! Again, the trail had gone colder.

 _It is just I'm beginning to wonder if I am wasting time._ The worn gladiator scowled. It was if the Master had vanished from the very earth! The notion was absolutely absurd as he would sense it! Quinlan crossed his arms, the minor fit waning.

Wouldn't he...?

 _Ah..._ Vaun knew better then to attempt at easing the vengeful flame that burned with disappointed in his mentor. _If you have the time, I would appreciate your guidance on a personal matter._

Quintus rose the flesh of his brow. Vaun didn't have personal issues. This Born kept more to himself than he did.

Leaning against the wooden desk, he replied. _I will try my utmost._

He felt a wave of relief then followed by a ripple of uncertainty. _I am unsure how to word this..._

A brief silence between their mental bond then a timid question. _How does one make a friend?_

His blue eyes widened. A friend? Where did this come from? I _do not particularly excel in that..._ human _department, Vaun._ It had been a very long time ago, so very long ago that any that could be named a comrade had died. It was a skill Quinlan allowed to become tarnished.

His solider countered. _You've told me before you've had comrades over the long years. Surely there is some skill, no matter how small, you can pass on._

The old half-breed could sense the plea beneath Vaun's tone. Quinlan possessed a general knowledge of comradery although he preferred it did not happen. Why was this so suddenly important? Vaun hadn't taken interest any human or otherwise.

In fact, this being a problem was queer in itself. He dealt with humans with great efficiency without stumbling. Just what happened?

 _Have you employed a Sun Hunter?_ It was the only logical reason his mind could arrive at. But the Ancients had no need for one right at the current time. Unless something had occurred.

Vaun explained with the military clipped answer Quinlan had drilled into him. _No. We provide enough service for the Old Ones. Manhattan is currently not infected by any plague._

Quinlan shoved off the furniture and stood in the middle of his room. _Then why the intrigue?_

There was a hint of hesitation before Vaun continued. I _have been treated kindly by a mortal; stayed in their presence for an extended period. I discovered I am rather..._ fond _of them._

Hmm, that was rather interesting. During his four hundred years, Vaun rarely took to the mortal side of himself. That achievement credited to he and the Ancients, never allowing that weaker (or in Quinlan's opinion, sometimes stronger) half to emerge. To see this arise now was somewhat delighting to Quinlan. Often he believed the youngest of his rare kind was shafted, whether or not it was for his own good or not.

_I see. May I ask how this acquaintance came to be?_

Embarrassment flooded the mental link. _It was purely... accidental. The details are not necessarily important._ Quinlan let it slide. For now. _They gave me aide and shelter._

 _So it became more than repaying a debit._ He confirmed by the feelings he picked up on. Emotions that were tiny, minuscule and unknown, but identifiable to him, crawled in Vaun.

 _Yes. I'm afraid so._ Vaun sounded defeated and also joyful. It was an odd combination.

A more important question came forth. _Are your Masters aware of this?_

Fear trickled through the network. _No. You understand how they would react._

Quinlan knew very well the results if they found this out. The Ancients could not fully grasp human emotion or needs. It was on the cerebral border of their vast yet confined minds. Reactions of the mortals were of great interest and even humor but they would never understand completely. The blood hunger was the only sensation of utter understanding.

 _They would tear them from you or worse, place them in their service._ He spoke with certainty.

The Born witnessed an image, blurry as if surrounded in fog until it was snatched away and tucked safely into the recesses of Vaun's mind. Whoever this person was, Vaun was bound to keep them secret even from him.

 _I won't tell them._ Quinlan was slightly offended that his pupil would think such.

 _It is a chance I will not afford._ Vaun growled lightly back.

 _Fine._  He conceded. _If they mean that much to you already._

Quinlan listed off exactly how he had acted around those who stubbornly stuck around or eventually regarded him with enough respect he could have a decent conversation with. The faces of Bruk, Spiculus, Decimus, and Tactitus flashed through his mind. He wasn't entirely sure if Decimus, the first Sun Warrior he was aware of, counted at first due to him being around his kind and brood before. Nevertheless, Quinlan fondly remembered their time together during the battles.

 _Treat them with respect, you know the action well. They are easy to get along mostly if not controlled by their primal fear of us. One step at a time, little brother._ Vaun seemed appeased by this information. Quinlan felt him log it for later recollection. Hopefully this would be the help he saught after.

 _Thank you, Quinlan. This should suffice._ Vaun bid him a rushed good-bye.

Quinlan massaged his temples as the signal had been disconnected. This abnormality still rung his head in a bewildered note.

He hoped Vaun had not gotten himself into a predicament that there was no salvation from. The wounded half that Quinlan buried deep inside prayed Vaun would not come to regret this. Human were fickle beings and their lifespan dreadful short. Neither didn't play in their seemingly infinite favor.

That trinket felt heavier in his breast pocket. Those lives abrupt ends rising to the surface and attacking him as if they had just happened moments ago. Quinlan pressed his fingers into the clothed space where the object was safely tucked and stomped them back into the void.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into..." He murmured.

* * *

Sun rays broke through window shades and pooled onto a clean and organized apartment room; signaling the day had begun. The hustle and bustle of everyday New York life awoke the girl from a deep sleep. Cracking a caramel eye open, she noticed two things: There was sunlight and her alarm clock was silent yet blinking fifteen till eight.

"What?!" Rae yelped, her voice sounding like a frog's cry that had been stepped on.

Limbs flailing the young woman fell out of the lavender colored sheets and onto the wooden floor with a solid thud, causing her furry bed partner to emit a startled bark. She scrambled to her closet to retrieve a clean uniform and dart to the bathroom diagonal from her door.

The lights flashed on revealing her mirror image. She sighed, it was a disaster. Without the distraction of glasses, the dark circles under her eyes were noticeable. Her hair resembled that of a cartoon character sticking their finger in an outlet, the strands tussled and everywhere. Having no time to perform her usual morning ritual, she worked quickly.

Once her locks had been tamed into the straight fall of brown, she called out the from the door with a tooth brushed wedged into her mouth. "Thor!"

Nails clipped the floorboards as he jogged over to her. Rolling her eyes at her annoyed reflection for their alarm clock's dying battery, she threw on her clothes and returned back to her room. Shoving on her working shoes, Rae quickly made her way to the tiny foyer with Thor right on her heels. Clipping on his lead, the pair dashed out to the elevator.

Lined up on the sidewalk were single trees planted by the city for various reasons. Rae and other pet owners made another use for them: letting their animals empty their bowls. Tugging on the dog once he had finished taking a leak, she rushed back. Putting Thor inside his kennel for most of the morning into the afternoon made her upset but it couldn't be helped today. Giving him pats, a bowl of water, and handful of treats, Rae promised she'd come back soon.

Grabbing her messenger bag along with her cracked 'outdated' cell and headphones, Rae spun on her heel and locked the door behind her. She was greeted with the ever so friendly faces of New York City. People of many diversities walking past her in a cluster of all types: joggers to parents, black suit and tie to retired folks. It was the same every day. The stale air, huge crowds and not surprising heavy morning traffic.

Red Hook wasn't the best of areas but it was all she could afford on her own. Her parents were alive and well. They lived retired in Florida. The decision to move all the way up here was rash. Rae could admit to that. But something called her to this place.

It sure as hell wasn't the job market or rent; hence the need for two jobs.

Her Mum constantly fretting about Rae overexerting herself. She played it off, saying it was fine when those jobs barely covered being alive. Rae would be damned though she gave up before figuring out this strange pull to this city.

Her nerves being frazzled enough caused no room for anymore thoughts that didn't involve making to the dinner on time. Pushing more effort into her unfit leg muscles, she quickly weaved between the hordes of bodies. Five minutes past eight, Rae arrived at her destination.

 _Nancy's Dinner_ was bustling with the breakfast crowd. Easing her way past the hungry customers, Rae gave an apologetic eye contact with each waitress she could manage. Hustling to the back, stuffing her items in the dented locker, Rae swiped her time card and punched in.

"You're late, Rae." Henry's semi-scolding voice made Rae hunch her tiny shoulders.

"I know. My clock thought it'd be a good idea in career change to be a Mime." She joked, tying her apron with a swish.

The old man shook his head with a small tilt of the lips and forgave her. "Just hurry up, we're slammed already."

Agreeing, Rae jumped into the frying pan. Orders jotted down with a grin and set into the warm kitchen. The rush died down once ten rolled by and the place got a moment to calm. Rae exhaled loudly and leaned her hip against the spotted counter.

The sluggish plain of time between breakfast and lunch allowed the woman to wonder.

Wonder if Vaun would ever make an appearance again.

The hybrid hadn't returned and she never was even able to catch a glimpse of him. She took up a broom to pass the ticking minutes. Maybe he wouldn't come back. Why should he? Rae wasn't drop dead gorgeous like the females depicted in movies and novels. Nor was she a joy to be around, she thought. Social anxiety crippled her. Although her manger praised her work ethic and seemingly genuine kind personality, Rae often believed most were a pleasant lie.

Constantly the nagging of a voice mirrored to her own whispered in her ear once backs were turned. Nobody truly liked her. They were just being kind because of pity. No matter what she accomplished, it held no value. At least her livelihood didn't hang in the balance to please everybody-

Rae nearly dropped the broom. Vaun's life did though, didn't it?!

The instances in which he mentioned the guys in charge were rare in their very short dalliance but never sounded like they were total fun to be around. If Hollywood could be right on any fact of these supernatural creatures, Vaun's bosses would kill him just for giggles or not meeting their expectations.

Her eyes widened. What if they didn't agree with how he handled the other night?!

Craning her neck to see the clock, she frowned. While Rae only had a few more hours here, her next job started thirty minutes after clocking out and wouldn't get off until late. It was fifty fifty possibility that she could miss the dhampir if he decided to visit again. She shook the trickle of nauseous doubts away.

Taking a deep and soothing breath, Rae made her up mind; an attempt to be in a brighter mood. They'd meet once more if this relationship -she had no ideal word for the oddity- was to be.

* * *

Vaun skipped going right back the next night after obtaining the Ancient's grant to free roam. He didn't want them to be suspicious of his actions. This would have to be handled with care if this alliance, the only term Vaun could use to label it properly, was to continue.

Twilight had ended awhile ago now, engulfed by the dense darkness of the night.

He sat cross legged on his mat, battling himself over which course to take. Rae had accepted his presence back within her home but showing up announced bothered the Born. Vaun wasn't sure if the tiny woman was even home!

She had mentioned holding two professions but never stated what they were or the schedule of either. That slice of information did shock him at first. In his younger years when Quinlan took him along on travels, the majority of female humans remained at home with the younglings. A handful Vaun knew about from newspapers articles, were actually trained to hold important positions.

The half-breed didn't mind -it was really none of his business anyway- if Rae desired to work but where was her family? The ones he witnessed passing factories were usually single mothers or orphans. Obviously she had no children so perhaps it was the latter?

A flare of some unknown origin singed in his chest when his mind briefly considered a mate taking care of her.

Confounded by the strangeness, Vaun redirected his thoughts. Should he wait until a little later before going?

Torn between patience and mild excitement, Vaun growled at his childish predicament. 'This is absurd!'

He unfolded from his position and slid on his jacket and gloves. If she was not present when he arrived he would simply wait.

Snatching the door from its locked place, Vaun exited his room and headed towards the surface. Normally being seen by his Hunters did not invoke any feeling rather than familiarity but now he didn't want them to witness him leaving at all in case his movement was recorded.

Checking his mental chart of rounds the Ancients set them on, Vaun made sure to go opposite. Bi passing them was easy. He trained them after all.

He chose the furthermost hatch they used to fetch stock of them and the Old Ones. Shutting the twin metal doors carefully with a firm hand to ensure they locked, Vaun made his way from the surface that overlooked the compound to Rae's apartment.

The journey was effortless and didn't consume as much time as Vaun would've liked. He ascended the fire escape that lead up to her window and saw the curtains were drawn. Hearing nothing her animal's snores, Vaun dipped into the shade in order to remain from any wandering mortal eye.

Of course he was too zealous about this and arrived in her absence. Acting like some giddy child over a human!

'You're ridiculous.' Vaun chided himself, arms crossed in frustration.

He had been around enough humans to understand them, be able to mold them into whatever he needed, and interact properly. Was the Rae the first woman he had spoken to? Most certainly not. However brief the encounters were, he was always been professional and to the point. To respond so differently to this-this little female was out of character! Quinlan had picked up on that much.

Yet it all boiled down to what she enticed in him that Vaun had never experienced. It was confusing which in turn vexed him but the human inside, buried under the harsh training and strigoi, was curious to find out what these baffling feelings were. Instinct told him nothing about this.

His ears flicked beneath the hood covering at the approach of sluggish steps and gears turning at the command of a key. A light switched on inside. She was home.

Vaun tried to smother the peculiar things she brought out, but it was too late. He was at a cross roads now and would choose. Discover where these emotions lead or return to the abyss.

The material creaked as his fingers curled into an unwavering fist.

He rapped his knuckles softly on the window. 

* * *

 

Rae almost didn't hear that gentle knock on her glass. Through the muddy haze of exhaustion thanks to rushing about her jobs, relieving Thor in between, and seeing to errands that where due. For a second she ignored, thinking it was imagined.

Then her heart sped up a few beats.

She dashed over to the window, nearly tripping over her sofa. Foolish and childish hope pumping through her veins. Rae swiped the blinds apart. And there he stood.

"Hello again," Vaun dipped his head.

"Uh," Her mouth felt dry. "Hi,"

He blinked and motioned to the remained sealed window. "May I come in?"

A flush of red peppered her face. Duh! "Gah, I'm sorry!" She threw it open.

Vaun ducked and was inside her living room. Again.

Rae clasped her sore hands in front of her. "So, what's up?"

The hybrid looked impassive as ever. "Currently I'm here. The day has been uneventful."

She let out a envious breath. "Wish I could say the same."

He noticed how Rae was rubbing her palms. "Are you all right?"

She glanced down at the blisters and tiny cuts. It wasn't anything new, these just came with her life at the moment.

Rae shrugged. "Yeah, nothing some cool water won't fix."

Vaun could smell the dried sweat, grease, and faded blood but didn't bring it up. She appeared to be well if not a little worn out.

Rae told him to make himself comfortable while she made herself more presentable. A dirty work uniform was not the greatest to remain after shifts. Rae saw the vampire pull back his hood and sit opposite her side of the couch as she walked to the bathroom.

Turning the sink on cool, she leaned her elbows on the counter top with her hands drenched in the refreshing water. An excited grin cracked on her lips.

It was foolish but she was happy to see him.

Cupping her hands under the spray she scooped the water onto her face to half clean her pores. Brushing the formed knots out of her hair and changing into the set of matching shorts and T-shirt she kept in there, Rae stepped out.

He was waiting. His gaze focused on the clock until she came from the hall.

Vaun tilt his head sideways at her altered outfit and relaxed posture. "The water helped I see."

Rae nodded and journeyed into the pantry. She didn't have a whole lot but enough to keep her energy up for functioning. She went to offer Vaun something but stopped herself.

'He doesn't drink or eat human food, stupid.'

Thanks brain, Rae pursed her lips and retrieved the snack and beverage.

Padding back to over the sofa, she held the items up. "Do you care if I?"

Vaun rose an non existent brow. "Why would I?"

Rae made a face. "I dunno, sensitive hearing and all that." She'd go nuts if she could hear everyone around her munch and slurp their foods.

"Ah," He understood. "Go ahead." The noise from the human's blunt teeth chewing their edibles did grind on his hearing but this was Rae's home and she could do as she pleased.

She curled into her corner of the furniture and eased open the crinkly bag that held her snack. Rae ate as gingerly as she could. After the fifth chip Vaun spoke up.

"The slower you do that, the more irritating it becomes." He said. "Pretend I can't hear you. It's better for the both of us." He added.

Rae swallowed. "Okay, I'll just pretend you're not here then."

Vaun looked sullen once a few more chips disappeared. "Don't ignore me."

"You said to pretend you're not here." She quipped.

He frowned. "Smart-mouth. I did not say that."

It was weird how she could act like her usual around him, Rae thought. She barely knew this guy, creature, whatever he is and yet here was the demeanor people didn't get to see often. Rae had to be on friendly terms to act this way.

"Sorry, sorry." She set the bag down on the sad excuse for a coffee table. "Sooo, I guess your bosses gave the seal of approval on your whole deal?"

Vaun seemed surprised she brought it up. "Yes, it was passable."

"Nice," Rae pierced the can of cola with the tab and took a sip. "Then, why'd you come back? I'm not known for being entertaining."

"As I told you last time, I want to know more about your kind." He partly lied. Vaun knew plenty of the race mortals but almost zero on to properly handle this one who saved him, who set these bizarre feelings in motion.

"There's Google for that," She informed him.

Vaun set his eyes to the floor. "I would like to know more about you then."

Rae paused. He wanted to know more? About her? Oh God.

Raking her fingers through the unwashed locks, Rae bit the inner flesh of her mouth. "Like what?"

The Born could feel her mild distress and surprise. Had no one taken time to learn about this woman? Granted she was the first in a long stretch of years he had spoken with on a personal level, the last being Quinlan's Sun Hunter Eve, but Rae was different. He wanted to handle her on a more delicate level.

"Anything," She shifted uneasily. That was broad and narrow equally. Why not start at the beginning?

Rae told him her birthday. He grinned at the date. Told him about her family, her parents living in the Sunshine State, and how she was the only child. Moving here was on a whim but the biggest choice of her life so far. Her employment at _Nancy's_ and what she did there. Random other touches of subjects then she stopped, realizing she had begun to ramble.

"That's pretty much it,"

Vaun nodded but stated the words like a question. "You never spoke of friends or a... mate."

Rae blanched at the term. "Mate?!"

He flinched at the volume of her tone. "That's what I said."

"I-I-I'm not married! Nor am I seeing anyone!" She stammered. Mate!? Who the hell used that word to describe- oh wait, remember who you're talking to Rae.

The red eyed bugger seemed kinda pleased at that shred of info. "Don't get all smug over there!"

Vaun's expression morphed from satisfaction to puzzled. "You're alone then?"

The cloud the ever hung over her head rumbled and threatened to pour at the observation. She worried her bottom lip, orbs fleeting back and forth. It was easier to deal with when she wasn't so tuckered out but the day dragged and drug her front along with it.

Tears bubbled at the tips of her eyes. **Do not cry. Do not cry.** You can't just fall apart in front of people like this! Chin up, girl!

Rae shut her eyes and gave him a sad grin. "Yup, just me and the dog."

She felt a stupidly wave of heat next to her suddenly. Opening her eyes Rae saw Vaun had inched closer, a hesitant hand frozen in mid air.

His unsure gaze clicked to his outstretched hand to her face. "I'm sorry. I hadn't intended to cause you any sorrow."

A lone droplet cascaded down. "It's okay... you didn't do it." Taking the heel of her palm, Rae wiped the salty trail.

Grasping his covered mit in her thin and white one, Rae smiled at him. "Next time why don't you tell me about you? I have a feeling there won't be a near sob fest."

Vaun stared at their joined hands astounded. A current of electric static pulsed in his arm at the point of contact and jolted his insides, giving him a warm and light feel. He snapped his jaw tight and finally looked at her.

What in the world was she doing to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quinlan finally! Whoop, whoop! Lookit these lil cupcakes and their awkwardness. >w


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I'm overjoyed you all are enjoying it this much so far. It makes me all bubbly. X3 Thank you sooooo much for your kind words and coming back to read the new chapters! :)

A handful of days has passed since Vaun began this venture to maintain a companion. The blistering heat of the Summer was chilling to the approaching Fall that came with September. Rae, he learned, did not enjoy the cold weather. Her face would scrunch up at the mention of it but add the Winter would allow her the need to wear her nicer clothes.

Vaun wondered quietly what was the matter with what she currently wore least he is more confused with her answer.

Rae established a way to inform of whether or not she was 'off shift' by leaving her curtains spread and left a small lamp lit for him. Twice the invitation had been declined and that allowed Vaun to go on and double back later in case he was being watched.

The Ancients did not seem ta take much notice of his absence or did not care what he did with his free time. Either way, it made this bonding, Quinlan had dubbed it, easier.

Currently, the half-breed sat on 'his side' of the couch and watched as Rae fixed her precious fur baby its dinner. Today she was off both job positions and Vaun arrived just as twilight came, much to the animal's dismay. He and the foolish beast abide the other's presence, silently glaring as Rae was not paying attention. Vaun did not touch the horrid thing or give his aide in taking care of it.

Thor was just as pleased with the notion. He sat on his hind quarters, staring him down as Rae mixed his dry food with the very unpleasant smelling wet food. A treat the human called it as she unable to afford the cans much. Vaun broke the hateful eye contact when she turned to the dog with a cheery smile.

"Din-din, buddy," Rae deposited the bowl with cartoon dog and yellow bird painted on the sides on the floor near the stove.

The pet gave his owner a gleeful expression and wagged his curled tail then began to eat. She washed her hands of any trace of dog food and made her way back to the living room. Vaun took note of the time and lack of any preparations for herself.

He asked, "You're not going to eat?"

Rae shrugged and fell on the furniture. "Not hungry right now,"

He frowned at her as his ears heard the faint rumble of her stomach. "Rae," He said sternly turning into a growl.

She avoided eating in front of him as much as possible. No doubt it was part of her silly mortal self-awareness. The fear of getting on his nerves with the necessary habit. Vaun rolled his eyes but felt slightly like a hypocrite as he had yet to inform of his own feeding habits.

"What? I'm an adult, I can eat when I want." She stuck her tiny pink tongue out at him.

Vaun shot her a queer look. Oh yes, very mature indeed.

Rae was an odd little thing, acting one way then another. She held a placid disposition, mostly calm and collected until she became excited. Then she turned into an awkward yet bubbling person. It was cute before Rae's shine was short-lived and became diluted with fear and self-loathing. Vaun had never met a creature that transformed themselves so quickly. He created a mental note to ask her about that later on.

"Besides, I haven't seen you eat anything."

Vaun straightened his position and weakly glared at her. He hadn't wanted to show how repulsive he truly was. Quinlan had briefly mentioned he had not even shown his late wife that side of himself. It was more a parasite than a part of him. The stinger felt like it acted on its own agenda when it came to the hunger.

Would it scare her off? She had accepted him thus far. Surely that wouldn't ruin her view of him.

The anxious knot grew tighter in his belly.

"If you make yourself something, I will tell you." He bargained.

Rae's hazel eyes brightened and she agreed; trotting over to the confining kitchen she removed a Styrofoam cup, filled it with water and placed it inside the microwave for four minutes. Vaun felt something else buzz in her energy. She was certainly a curious being.

"What else do you wish to ask?" He sighed.

Rae rummaged around in a top drawer for a pair of chopsticks from the last she ordered while she replied, "You know about my parents... what about yours?"

Ah. The question was not unreasonable as he had prodded before hand. There was just not much to speak of.

"The earliest I can remember is being aware in a way that should be for one such a stage." Vaun started. "I can still hear the heartbeat of the woman who carried me as I grew in the wet darkness of her infected womb." He could also remember the spinal bones cracking and her screams as he came into this world. "She was dead by the time I was able to claw my way from the caul."

Rae ignored the obnoxious beeping the machine continued to make.

He glared at her pitying expression. "Do not feel sorry for me. I did not know her nor the male involved in my forming. In a sense, I am truly a bastard in both cases."

An infant created accidentally by two humans, no older than teenagers. An unwanted creature born to an ever wise but heartless monster.

She stirred her noodles without saying anymore but Vaun finished his tale to her so it would not turn up again in conversation.

He vaguely remembered the dusty barn he spent the first days of life inside. The brisk night the Ancient who was guilty of bringing his existence to life retrieved him from there, a farm which he guessed his family owned. It was in the countryside of France where he grew up under their supervision and Quinlan's instruction.

Then they relocated here after the Puritans separated themselves from Great Britain. Vaun described the rest might be a bore to her and remained silent as she ate her last bit and threw the white cup into the trash.

Taking up her spot, Rae looked at him expectingly. "I know you just shared some stuff but..." She trailed off with a hint.

Vaun had hoped she would forget. Rae came across a ditz sometimes. Yet Fate had never been kind to him, why would it begin so now?

_Damn._

* * *

Rae didn't think he'd take her seriously but was proven wrong when his gloved hand curled into a fist on his knee. Was he really considering finally showing her? The curiosity pinned to this secretive art he had become more intense after the one night he walked in on her watching _True Blood._

Eric had been sucking on Sookie's neck and Rae nodded towards the TV screen, meekly asking if that's how it was done. Vaun absorbed the scene she had gotten to before giving her an answer. The pair had been naked, tangled in each other's limbs, and obviously getting the nasty on while Eric had his way with her jugular.

He drew the flesh of his brows together and grit his teeth, grimacing. "No. That is not how I-" The half-breed cut himself to correct his statement. "That is not how it's done."

Rae accepted that and stopped the DVD. She never watched the show again in front of him. The episode seemed to bother him somehow. A few reasons popped in her head as to why but none didn't really peg him. From the little information Vaun revealed about himself, there really no reason.

She knew a portion of his background, piece by piece he told, and none of it involved an ex or whatever.

Scooting closer to the middle of the sofa, Rae sat on her knees and waited patiently. Her mind reeled with various ways anime, TV shows, and movies depicted his kind drinking blood; wondering which he practiced or if it was entirely different.

He glanced at her. "Must you really know this?"

"Mhm," She nodded, eager.

Vaun sighed that strange rattle following it. Perhaps that would be connected too? Rae was on pins and needles as the suspense pounded in her veins.

He turned his head towards her and parted his thin lips. She blinked as flesh not quite the colour of a tongue inched out past his angular fangs. It surprised her as it grew in length, at least filling the space between her and him. Her eyes widened to the size of plates when apparently it was not done.

The freaky appendage twitched and the slits on its sides separated into a three-pronged... mouth? She noticed in her study tiny sharp teeth attached to the ends on the top two, leaving the bottom void of any way to attach. Then an itty bitty fang showed up in the very middle. 'Oh, I guess that pierces the vein then???'

It kinda reminded her of a deadly flower in a disturbed point of view. Ridges lined the sides of its... God, Rae didn't know to properly word what she was looking at. A stinger? Sure, she'd go with that. It reminded her a lot of certain alien's mouth.

Vaun began to become unease at her muteness while staring at the monstrous part of him. He started to retract the organ when she spoke.

"That is so..." He braced himself for the harsh comments. "Wicked awesome!"

The Born coughed, about choking on the appendage, at her praise. He stared bewildered at her as she continued.

"Dude, it's like a Xeno's inner jaw!" She bounced on her folded legs, orbs bright with excitement. "They use it mainly for attack purposes; stretching out to almost twenty inches, I have a trivia book on those buggers, but you use it to feed right?"

He blinked his third eyelid, unable to speak with his stinger out like this. Rae shook her head. "I'm a dumbass. But I'm right, right?" Vaun rolled his eyes at her speech but nodded. "Cool. That means you need distance?"

He gave her a half nod. It wasn't required but that meant less damage could be inflicted on his person. Rae reached up to trace the edges of it when she slapped a stopping hand on her wrist.

"Sorry. Holy fuck, that is rude." Vaun shot her a half-lidded look of annoyance at her words. "I shouldn't just randomly touch your... whatever that is." She blushed, annoyed at herself.

Gently entering her mind, Vaun told her, _I'm shocked you_ want _to. But I do ask that you refrain so. It is very sensitive._

She winced at the mental invasion. "Will do. Sorry." Rae put her hands in her lap.

"Can you extend it more?"

_Of course._

He opened his jaw wider for it travel farther. It curled around Rae's shoulders and up to the underside of her cheek. Boldness rose in his chest.

Folding the dangerous part of his stinger away, Vaun tickled her jaw line with the soft tip. Rae squealed and bent from it. "No. No. No. It's so squishy, quit it!"

Vaun chuckled at her behavior and withdrew his feeding organ. She wiped at the area with a fake look of unamusement. "It was less drooly than I imagined."

"Guess I'm not that appealing." Her thoughtless remark made him scowl.

"I would never feed on you." The very idea of it was horrendous. Subjecting her to that was just unforgivable!

Rae slumped. "I'm sorry. I opened my mouth ahead of my brain. It's an awful habit."

The dhampir didn't look at her. She frowned, ashamed of ruining the trust-building moment. Tears pricked at her eyes. Why did she always fuck it up somehow? Was she like a broken record or something?!

He sensed her climbing anxiety. Her shoulders fidgeted in the attempt to keep her crying at bay. He hated it when she cried. It did not aggravate him. It made him feel like he needed to correct the situation, make it better.

"What is this Xeno creature?" He asked, staring at her out the corner of his eye.

Rae rubbed her runny nose. Peeking up at him through her bangs, she replied, "Xenomorph. It's an alien."

Vaun made a funny face. She giggled some. "I have the movies. Want to watch 'em?"

He agreed. She grinned and practically flew off the couch to her shelve of numerous DVDs contrived of many genres and types. Retrieving the box set, Rae turned on her PlaySation 4 and slid the disc in.

"The third movie blows but let's see if you can even stand the first one." She laughed lightly and returned back to the same spot. She didn't seem to be aware of how close she was to Vaun now but the half-breed did. But he didn't say a word to protest and kept it that way.

* * *

"That was... interesting," Vaun stated with a little less than enthused notion. He could not for the unlife of him understand why humans must touch things that radiated danger. When the spider creature sprang forth and attached itself to the space explorer's face, Vaun quipped the mortal got what he deserved.

His company made no response to his evaluation. Tilting his head downward, Vaun seized up.

Rae was curled into herself, sound asleep, and very close to leaning into his body. His muscles were frozen stiff as his mind raced to figure out what to do. Wide eyes glanced between her and the TV screen. Vaun hadn't the faintest clue how to power down the device and he held no desire to rouse her from rest.

Licking his lips, Vaun darted up from his seat and grabbed her form before it fell onto the sofa's pillows. He eased her down on her side and backed away silently. Gently, he slid off her glasses and set them on the armrest above her head. Rae didn't stir.

The half-breed shook his head at the technology and left it be. Thor was on his back snoring in the kitchen. Leaving without rousing either would be best. Gathering his boots, Vaun made his way over to the unlocked window. A nagging feeling wouldn't leave him be even as he was half ducked out of the window.

He growled under his breath. _Damn._

He went over and made sure she was still slumbering. That strange emotion surged again while Vaun looked at her. She appeared so tranquil in this state. Her thin eyelashes curled at the tips, away from her pale skin. The odd circular marks on her cheek that resembled a crescent moon. Breathes coming out in even through parted lips.

Vaun grits his jaw tightly as he refrained reaching out and touch her like he suddenly and desperately wanted to. Instead, he curled his fingers into an agonized fist and turned from her made his presence absent from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it! I rewrote this like, three times lol. The next chapters will hopefully be longer and will go into more depth with Vaun and Rae inner thoughts. Maybe some Q too. I haven't fully decided yet. The outlines I have are vague. XD Anyways, I will try to get two more out before Chirstmas. My laptop has been acting terribly recently and is worrying me. ;v;


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah! Here it is! :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Rae rustled from her place on the couch at the source of heat collecting on her scalp growing hotter. Leaning up on her elbow, she noticed with blurry eyes it was the morning sun light and Vaun was gone. Rae drooped into the cushions with a defeated sigh. She fell asleep in the middle of _Alien_.

Horror bristled her muscles making her head shoot upwards. 'Oh dear God, I didn't fall asleep on him did I?!'

Rae groaned and slapped her skull into her hands. The awkwardness of that mental picture had her face flush with total embarrassment. How did they keep getting into these situations? Was she a magnet for predicaments that always ensued with humiliating herself?

Admitting that was probably true, Rae rose up with a wince. Her stomach hurt. Shaking her bedhead, she padded over to the kitchen. Thor trotted beside her from his comfy spot on the floor, nuzzling her hand with his big wet nose.

"Good morning to you too, buddy," Rae yawned, reaching above the stove.

The digital clock read 9:16 A.M., she didn't need to be at the diner until five for the evening shift.

She grabbed a small plastic cup from the shelve and filled it with tap water; popping a little white pill in between. Rae didn't really need birth control for the intended purposes. In fact, her sex life was basically absent. The whole idea of it was just messy and uncomfortable to her. She wasn't a virgin but that didn't mean much for afterwards.

Hey, she was a normal teenager once, shit happens.

Rae could comment honestly that an individual was attractive or whatever it is they wanted to hear it was just the act of intimacy held little to no appeal to her. She hadn't been abused in anyway shape or form nor did she find herself ugly (well, she didn't believe she was pretty either) per say. It was the matter of being wired differently, she supposed.

Snatching the fridge door open, Rae curled her lip. "Fuckin' hell,"

It was damn near empty! Two eggs sat in their holder in the side. A can of Coca Cola lay on its side, unopened. A few more random items littered the kitchen ware but none did breakfast make. Rolling her tired eyes, Rae focused her search to the cabinets. There was not anymore luck to be had. Half a box of cookies, a sealed cup of dried noodles, and some dog food was her selection.

Slapping the doors shut, Rae turned to her dog. Thank God payday was around the corner! "Walkies?"

It was a dumb question as his ears perked and tail wagged in baited excitement. She needed to change clothes though. Absently rubbing her abdomen, Rae went to throw on an outfit. She returned within a handful minutes later dressed but grumbling under her breath, "Stupid mother nature,"

Clasping the lead to Thor's blue collar piece, the two ventured out into the city. Once he had finished his business, Rae decided to take a longer walk; probably picking up what she could with the last twenty bucks in her pocket. One passed various types of people in the dense crowds of this bursting city. They never were the same but always different, if that makes any sense.

Rae always kept her gaze locked to the cracking concrete as meeting eyes made her inwardly cringe. A couple however, did catch her attention vaguely. The pair were grasping a beaming toddler's hands as they walked down the street. Rae loved kids, the ever adorable punks, but it would most likely never happen. Finding a partner, one that would accept her oddness, felt like a chore. Although adoption crossed her mind during these musings, it would be much later in her life; when she had her shit together. Right now, all the thought did was make her sad in realizing how lonely she really was.

Her parents tried their damnedest and Rae was grateful for that, but how she turned out by life's design wasn't anyone's fault. She hated people; talking to people. Humanity in a whole just made her nose wrinkle. She wandered into the few convenience stores that allowed pets and absently watched as the cashier scanned her stuff.

Locating a familiar soul wasn't that hard, was it? A voice whispered while the crappy plastic bag was being filled. Vaun's lonely as well, isn't he?

'Oh, what the fuc-' Her expression went from passive to shock that the man across the container sincerely asked what was wrong.

"Huh? Oh, n-nothing! How much did you say?" Rae stammered at the mind numbing question.

"Twenty dollars and thirty cents," He told her, eyeing her with concern.

She had to dig for the change in her bag which made her even more embarrassed. Rae set down the money, grabbed her purchase, and exited with Thor without saying another word. She fled back to her apartment as if she were running from the very sentence her mind spoke. Where in the hell did that come from?! That would be impossible! She was human and he-he was half human...? God, what the fuck!

Rae slowed down, the fast paced steps falling shorter and shorter. Thor was oblivious to her mental struggle and kept at her side, tongue hanging with a happy grin. The apartment door clicked shut and Thor was released of his leash. Rae still leaned against the entryway, eyes downcast to the floorboards. What did she think of Vaun, anyway?

As if on cue her cell phone rang, the _Spook Tune_ from _Undertale_ chiming along until she slid the green icon across to pick up. She cleared her throat, attempting to sound more cheery before holding the mic to her mouth.

"Hey, Mom," Rae greeted.

 _"Hello, darling, what are you up to?"_ It had been awhile since her last check in. Her mother worried over her frequently thus earning a ring every other week unless they spoke over Facebook.

Not much, just rescued a being right out of a horror book and hanging out with them. "Working mostly, but other than that; life is pretty much the same."

 _"You're not pushing yourself too hard, I hope."_ She always treated Rae like a piece of glass since she went to the hospital in her teens for collapsing. A mother's concern knew no bounds, she guessed.

"Nah, I'm doing real good." Rae rubbed her nose, purposefully not looking at her sad excuse of a food pantry. If her parents found out her kitchen's condition, God she'd never hear the end of it.

 _"You better be."_ Rae rolled her eyes at the subtle warning in her mother's tone.

"I've always made it; don't worry about me." Easy to say, much harder to back up.

 _"Your old room will always be here."_ Not yet, Rae hadn't discovered what drew her to this city yet. Leaving with her tail tucked between her legs wasn't an option. Her Dad didn't raise a quitter.

"I know, Mum." A pressure built in her forehead the more they spoke. Damn headaches.

 _"Your father could care less about this but,"_ Sweet Jesus, here we go. _"Have you meet anyone?"_

Her mind's eye conjured up Vaun's profile.

His coal and ruby orbs that seemed to glow in the dark. The markings that raked across his face, whether they be scars or something else. She had to remember to ask about those or just pay closer attention. His angular pointed teeth that made her think of a bunny but deep down, she knew they were wickedly sharp and possibly deadly.

His skin was pale but not like the word suggests. It was a hue like an age novel page yet smooth looking as marble. And his ears, she smiled at that. They were shaped like an elf's but far more adorable. A feeling made her think they were ticklish.

Was he the most attractive supernatural creature she had seen? Hollywood made most every vampire, werewolf, and goblin look enchanting now a days so, no he was not. However, unique as he may be, his description was not what she gave him credit for. It was the fact Rae could truly relax and be herself around him; an occurrence that was rare these days. In a nutshell, Rae trusted him and that was what mattered the most; what was absolute in any emotional tango she took part in.

 _"Rae? Rae, are you still there?"_ Her mom asked, puzzled.

Shit. Was she silent for that long?

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Sorry. Got distracted."

A hum of curiosity passed through the microphone. _"So you have?"_

Fucking hell, mom! "Maybe," Rae mumbled.

 _"Oooohhh, you gotta tell me all about it!"_ She was giddy now and while it was infectious, Rae winced as her head began to pound.

"I will, if everything works out. Look, I'm gonna lay down before my shift. Call me later?"

_"Of course! You're getting enough sleep, right? Never mind. I'll leave ya be. Love you."_

"Love ya too," She poked the end call button and shoved the cell in her pocket. This wasn't going away before her clock in time and calling out wasn't an option. Rae slid down the door, feeling like she was being zapped of all her energy by some unseen force. The world felt off its usual spin and instead tilt to the side. Her skin grew hot and cold at the same time.

Rae cursed.

Thor returned to her with a confused head turn when she didn't respond to him. Blackness took up the edges of her sight and the pressure seemed to fall away as it consumed her. She fucked up again.

* * *

 

Vaun sat on his pallet in the dark confines of his room mulling over surges of these feelings Rae had been inducing. They were rather strange and complex to the Born; baffling him to the core. In all of his four centuries, the half-breed had not experienced this before.

He understood the darker tone of these emotions which was strung together by respect but that is not what he felt. It ran deeper than that. He was not keen to touch others unless it was to deter them or aide them. Last night was on an entirely different scale. The urge to reach out and softly run his knuckles across her face had been strong; almost stronger than the thirst.

There had been other instances where he merely wished to touch her, to imprint on his mind that she was truly there. To ensure that this odd but marvelous being was not a figment of his imagination. No mortal, Sun Hunter or acquaintance of his mentor, treated him so... normally.

Vaun thought about seeking further advice from Quinlan but decided against it. Simply ignoring these impulses would cause them to fade surely. Besides, he checked the multiple pockets on his person to make sure everything was in place, his brother would not be too much help after all. He did not possess a... _handicap_ as Vaun did.

Though Vaun doubted this was a trouble on intimate levels, he could not help but wonder. Rae's blood did smell enticing but Vaun did notice the subtle scent underneath it that all humans had; her essence being sweet, fertile and very, very female. It did not induce a reaction that usually would occur in males, he lacked the proper hormones for such, but the scent did interest him however faintly.

His ability to judge one by their character was easy to Vaun. Quinlan taught him in the beginning yet the rest fell by piece by piece without guidance. He was rather poor in the area of profiles.

The metal door clicked shut quietly as he moved on in a brisk pace. The Ancients required fresh stock and tonight his presence was needed. The Hunters did well enough on their own but his absence throughout might raise questions. Their wrath was not something he sought out. Should it spill over onto Rae, he might not be able to forgive himself.

He mentally brought up her image as he walked on.

She was short, not close to reaching his collar bone, and slight. Her frame was thin, not sickly so, but it still worried him. Her brown hair, when it was hit with light had just a hint of red shine within the locks, skimmed the bottom of her heart shaped face. Dark spots shaped a crescent moon of sorts on her right cheek that never failed to catch his gaze. And her eyes, behind those lenses aiding in her sight, were a bright hazel that had a touch of gold in them.

Vaun had a wide range of vocabulary but could not find the right word to describe her. Rae was not the most striking woman he had seen throughout history but her personality lit her features to be much brighter than the regal and purebred. Elegant, he supposed?

He was struck from his musing by an impatient rattle of his cousins. They were all watching him, heads tilt in confusion.

 _Damn._ How long had he been standing there?

The Born tied down his thoughts and kept them tightly under wraps in case any wandering cerebral eye became curious.

 _What are you staring at? Let's go._ Vaun ordered, stepping away from them and towards the garage.

They followed without anymore prompt. He split them into two parties, each taking their own vehicle; keeping the selected humans apart made them easier to handle. Vaun rode in the passenger side, watching as they departed from below and into the city that never seemed to sleep.

Briefly his mind considered what Rae might be doing right now. If the small paper on her cooling unit was correct, she would be working tonight. This was beneficial as he did not wish to visit her, not after this particular mission. Despite not fully being unnerved by him hunting her kind, Vaun still didn't want to face her.

Shuttering away his mortal friend, Vaun focused on the task at hand. The black SUV pulled into the sleek shadows along side the area marked for the reaping, an abandoned entryway for the underground rail service. Plenty of homeless mortals retreated here for peaceful sleep and shelter. It the made their job like child's play.

Vaun inhaled the air drafting from the tunnel. There was a decent number of them. He shifted through the levels of their scent, musty clothes, unwashed flesh, and the undertone of sickness and disease in some. His Hunters would pick the most healthy out the bunch, save the women. Females were never taken; unless a new Born should walk the earth.

No more, he thought gravely. He would not pray for another innocent life to be taxed with this burden.

Relaying the scents to his Hunters through the mental link, Vaun gave the signal to take them. In a breeze, they were upon the unknowing humans and rendered unconscious. The fellow mortals did not realize what happened as some were blind, too deep their sorrow, or already slumbering.

Vaun helped guide the bodies into the car. The doors slammed shut and sealed their fate. He was about to join the _strigoi_ Hunters when a nagging feeling churned in his gut. They were near by Rae's apartment complex, perhaps two or three miles off. It wouldn't hurt to just check, would it?

Attempting to silence this silly unease, Vaun took a steady breath and blocked out all surrounding interference. His eye sight and hearing outmatched any human. In the distance, over the noises of the city, he picked up her heartbeat. Strange, his brow crinkled. She shouldn't be home at this moment.

The bloodbeat was slow and in lull, as if she were sleeping. But that infernal beast made a concerning sound. Its whimper and her heart were the only sounds in that room. It didn't sit well with him. _Damn it all._

 _Return to the compound._ Vaun commanded. _You know where to store them. I will return shortly._

The Hunters clicked in understanding and they went separate ways. Vaun did not wait around to see one Hunter twitch violently and slump forward. Its bones made a horrible crack as it rose its hooded head.

Melted copper eyes burned behind the protective gear as it watched the Born desert his pack and disappear into the city.

* * *

Vaun landed without rattling the fire escape at her window. The blinds were still drawn and it was dark, but she was inside and still unmoving. The corners of his mouth drew downward into a frown. Did she not wish to see him?

A more concerned feeling hit the pit of his stomach like a rock. Could she be sick?

Humans were susceptible to many different forms of germ and bacteria unlike his kind. Ingesting a human that carried disease or mild sickness made their blood taste bitter and pass on some annoying side effects but none were deadly like to a mortal immune system.

His hand knocked on the glass before he even made a conscious decision.

She didn't come but Thor pushed his muzzle through the curtains and stared at him. Its behavior was odd considering it stilled growled at him every time he came around. The dog looked to him with wide and scared eyes. Vaun peeked around the animal, his vision adjusting to the pitch that was Rae's living room. His muscles became rigid when her heat signature came into view. She was in front of the door, slouched forward and not moving.

Knowing she did not appreciate his mental intrusion Vaun felt somewhat awful for doing so without her permission, but he had to know if this was as bad as it looked. He pushed out his influence. It drifted over her own yet Rae didn't show any sign of registering he was there.

Damn it Rae!

The window was unlocked thankfully and Vaun made no hesitation to dash inside. He was by her side in an instant. The Born noticed one thing overall: the scent of blood, her blood. His red eyes investigated every surface that was uncovered but found nothing! The confounding thing about the scent was it smelled old than fresh and more... feminine than normal?

It caused his stinger to rouse in a bizarre interest. It flicked in his mouth, trying to nudge his lips open. He grit his fangs.

 _No. You are not some youngling, control yourself!_ Vaun commanded of himself.

He gently raised her head to get a better look at her. Rae was far paler than usual. Her skin almost looking pasty. The half-breed grabbed hold of the ball of her shoulder and shook her. Rae didn't even twitch. He took her into her arms then.

Brushing back some of the hair glued to her temple by dried sweat, Vaun attempted to rouse her. Every shot resulted in the same state he found her. She wouldn't wake up. He started to fret now. Her heart beat seemed to be fine but this was not normal!

There was no outcome that ended well should he take her to the hospital. His appearance alone would stir the humans into a panic and taking away the attention his little human needed. Vaun had to try and help her here.

But he had no idea what to do. The weight of cluelessness nearly crushed Vaun. He made a pathetic sound and leaned against the wall with the limp girl in his hold. What could he do?!

The words spilled forth before he even realized he uttered them out loud.

"Rae, please love, you have to wake up!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to all your kind comments and reading this new chapter. :) It means so much to me that this fic is doing so well and it's all thanks to you lovely readers. :) Sadly, I will not be getting another chapter out before the 25th as I planned (laptop is getting worse. I can't even unplug it without the thing shutting completely down) so I want to wish you all a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas!
> 
> See you all after Holiday to see what happens to our silly babies! :3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... I'm sorry to have disappointed most of you with my decision regarding Vaun's anatomy, but I hope that choice won't conflict your interest in these two. I've got things planned for our awkward couple that you may like and hope you stick around to read. 
> 
> Anyways, that is reason behind my slow updating and short length of this chapter. My muse for them kinda felt trampled by the one negative response and lack of usual feedback from certain viewers. Call me a wuss, but that's how delicate my mind can be when it comes to the one thing I feel I'm good at. 
> 
> But a huge thank you to those who did review accepting it nonetheless. It helped me get out of my sad sand box lol.
> 
> I'mma stop complaining. Please enjoy?

He did not have the time to waste contemplating what he just vocalized when his training clicked into place. Hissing at his poor reaction, Vaun rose steadily with Rae in his arms and settled her on the couch. He had seen the few of the humans deemed worthy to hunt the unclean by his side faint at situations whether their mind could not fully comprehend or they pushed their physical limits.

One of the ways to deal with a mortal in said state was to rouse with them cold water.

Vaun quickly locked the window and closed the curtains shut before setting to that task. The need to make sure she was safe while he tried to care for her the first priority. Not really wishing to throw water on Rae to shock her system awake, he instead voted for drenching a cloth for her wash room.

He flipped the electric switch next to door for light in order to properly examine her in case something else was awry. Her pallor was extremely pale and sticky with dry perspiration. He delicately removed her glasses to the armrest. Vaun gently skimmed the cool rag over her forehead and cheeks. Her skin flinched at the low temperature contrast to her own. Excellent, a reaction.

His inner eye lid blinked as the scent he detected earlier still hadn't waned. He leaned back to inspect her person. It was definitely blood, but was there a wound? Her outfit was intact and nothing seemed to show signs of struggle. His red eyes caught a small, dark spot on the fly of her jeans. He blinked slowly again. She was bleeding from there?

Vaun may have sent himself into another stage of fright until he remembered reading about a female's blood moon in a medical text he found during his scouting years, years ago. He picked it up believing it be helpful in the future for his mortal hunters. The Born learned in a decently sized chapter dedicated to this.

A human woman went through a time of cleansing of sorts to rid themselves of an non-fertilized cell from their womb. This being caused by failing or refusal to breed between cycles. The amount of blood involved in the removal of the expired differed amongst each female. He knew this bodily function wore them down, especially if one did not treat themselves well during this process.

The Born growled lowly at the little female. That was most likely the case if his late snooping of her cupboards indicated anything. He weakly slapped the end of the cloth against her nose.

"You must be more careful." He warned. _I don't want to happen upon you like this again_ , Vaun kept that last part to himself.

Her eyes fluttered at this words as she came aware though it was vague. Rae's small hand took hold of the one with the cloth, stopping his attentions. His gaze widened considerably. She was touching him without a barrier between their flesh. He had shed the Kevlar gloves when he retrieved the wet towel.

The contact was redirected from his hand to the bone of his cheek. He remained completely still while her finger tips brushed the outline. His heart felt like it had stopped as her touch ran over his monstrous features. Tracing the markings of the Ancient who sired him, to the curled scar that cut into the top of his lip.

Vaun sat there paralyzed by the rush of rapid succession of emotions. He had never been touched so tenderly in his long life but the swell of anxiety and self disgust he harbored, tarnished the feeling. Her soft fingers grazed his mouth and he hurriedly snatched her wrist into his iron grip.

"Do not-" But he realized Rae was not fully comprehending what she was doing.

She smiled weakly at him. "Hey," A greeting croaked out.

Of course she was in a daze. Why else would she reach out willingly to touch something like him? His callous nature softened at the reminder that Rae had done so before without recoiling from him.

He did not answer her. Instead, he set down the cloth and brushed her hair down once more. Her silly grin did not leave his presence while he did so. Vaun gave her a small upturn of his silt lips while his fingertips clawing through her mane. It felt nice to play with something one did not have.

Rae began to come more into her senses as her hazel eyes brightened and her expression scrunched into puzzlement. She shrank from his palm, gaze flickering back and forth between Vaun and his touch.

"Are you all right?" He asked, taking his appendage away.

"Umm..." Her mind came up to speed once the position she was in became apparent. Rae flushed a deep cherry red as panic and embarrassment sparked her into a tizzy.

"Oh my fucking God!" She yelped and practically flew from the couch and into the bathroom.

It locked with a deafening click. Vaun shouldn't have felt hurt at her reaction but he did. It was understandable for her to do so yet it didn't help the sting of it. He released a rattling sigh and waited for her to calm.

* * *

Rae leaned against the door for support as her heart and head pounded in a frantic unison. She held her trembling arms to her chest, attempting to get her act together. Her thoughts were a scrambled mess.

'Jesus Christ, did I faint or something?!' She bit her lip, unsure of when Vaun got here and what condition she was in.

'I didn't eat worth a damn today... That'd explain a whole lot...' Rae was careful mostly but when it came down to funds in order to keep up her health, she failed sometimes. Her blurry eyes widened. Speaking of personal health... She dared to glance down and regretted it.

Rae grimaced at the state of her jeans. It wasn't awful but to someone with advanced eye sight it would be noticeable. Her eyebrows knit in thought. Wait a second, couldn't have Vaun also... She inwardly screamed, clutching her long bangs. Of course he most likely scented that.

'There is no god!' Rae cried in her mind.

This was utterly horrifying and not to mention awkward! Dozens of thoughts raced in her head that made the situation worse and worse. Rae finally had enough agonizing and ordered herself to chill the fuck out. This hammering was just putting her in a deeper hole of embarrassment, if there even was one! He'd been around humans before, surely he understood what was happening.

Taking a few breathes, Rae rinsed her face to cool the burning sensation of humiliation and proceeded to change into the outfit she wore just around the house. Stuffing the dirty clothes far into the bin, Rae fanned her cheeks once more and exited the bathroom.

Vaun was still were she had left him in a hurry but mildly glaring at Thor, who returned the gesture. Rae shrugged. At least they weren't growling at each other anymore. His red and black eyes flicked to her for a second then he stood before her. Vaun wore an expression she yet to see on him. He looked concerned?

"Are you all right?" He questioned.

Rae nodded, a faint blush gathering. "Yeah, sorry if I worried you or embarrassed you.... or something."

Vaun tilt his head to the side. "Embarrassed...?" Understanding clicked on. "Oh, _that_. It's a natural occurrence in you humans. Why would I be distressed, or you for that matter?"

"I don't know. Guys get all weebie around that subject." Rae helplessly flopped her palms against her legs. It was the norm she was accustomed to growing up mainly around boys. Their reactions weren't really negative, just more they didn't want to talk about it.

"I am not like most males, I can assure you of that." Vaun rattled, sounding annoyed. Why men didn't treat their females accordingly when it came to their medical needs confounded him.

She let her lips turn up in small and shy grin. "I think I kinda figured that out already."

Vaun looked like he was going to say more but decided to keep it under wraps, and simply nodded. Rae stepped over to him, the tips of her fingers brushing the back of his gloved hand. She paused. He didn't have those on before, did he? Her mind was so deep in limbo, Rae shook it off as a mistake.

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out. Thanks for making sure I was okay." She whisked her fingers away.

He snatched a hold back onto her wrist, halting her to escape further. His eyes were wide and mouth slightly agape. Vaun looked unsure and hesitant. Rae tilt her head to the side, peering at him. "Uh, was there something you wanted to ask or whatever?"

Rae could detect a inner struggle going on in the dhampir. What was he torn about? Was he afraid to leave her alone now? She was feeling better already. His grip tightened a bit.

"Rae, may I-" He growled seemingly correcting himself, but continued. "Is there something else wrong? I've never seen someone collapse from just that." His visage coloured genuine concern for her well being.

Rae flinched. She shouldn't have been surprised that a vampire, a being that never missed any details, pick up on a hint of other causes. The young woman didn't remove his hand but played it off.

"If you just wanted to stay, all you have to ask." She smiled at him. Vaun looked taken back, the sickly pale of his cheeks grew less in colour.

Rae stifled a giggle. Was he blushing? Could he even do that? "

That is not the true root of my inquiry." He argued, not looking her in the eye. "However I shall if you want. But you will explain, yes?" Vaun turned his gaze back to her own.

"Fine," She sighed, dragging him along into the kitchen since he would not relent his hold. Vaun gave a relived chirp and followed. Thor begrudgingly padded out their path. Once Rae needed both her hands did Vaun release her, but remained at her side. She slapped together the cheap cheese, meat, and bread purchased from earlier together. Vaun must've set the bag on the counter while he tended to her.

She could feel his curiosity mounting with each passing second of her deliberate silence. Rae hoped he would let it go. She threw the items into the fridge.

"Can I just not? It's not that concerning." She murmured defeated, ripping a paper towel off the roll and placing her meal on it.

"It is concerning as I found you unresponsive on the floor, Rae." Vaun countered.

She waved a calming hand. "Yeah, but the doctors say I have a mild case. I just have to watch myself."

He frowned at Rae, not fully believing her.

Rae fiddled with the paper's curled tip. "I fucked up today is all. My period plus not eating with this condition equals an unconsciousness Rae."

Her grandmother had it and passed it down to her. In settings like school or work, Rae was the center of unwanted attention; rumors spread that she had anorexia, and she was in the envious light of her co-workers with weight issues. Belittled by others instead of them bothering to ask. She just always shrugged it off.

Rae drifted over to the couch and took a bite. She cringed at the taste. The cheese and meat were luke warm. It was left out most of the day but it hadn't ruined. Plus the bread felt like cardboard in her mouth.

"That smells... off." Vaun stated from his claimed place on the sofa.

Rae agreed. "I can imagine. It's full of fake junk but it's all I can afford right this second."

Vaun scrutinized her. "Why would you willingly chose to move here if living cost so much?"

Ah, there might be difficultly giving him a straight answer.

In truth Rae packed her shit up and moved here on a whim, on a feeling. Maybe a journey of self discovery? She shook her head. That sounded easier than exploring based on a nagging that wouldn't leave her be until it was found.

She nibbled on her thumb nail, the sandwich left on the arm rest forgotten. How could she put this then? Rae hummed. The cartoon image of a newspaper headline popped in her head. _'Local introvert departs home to find courage to make own doctor appointments.'_

Oh my God. Rae choked on her failed attempt to keep her laugh contained.

Vaun rose a brow at her, confused. "What?"

"It's nothing um, I guess I took a personal gamble." She traced the lines in her palm as she spoke. "You ever get that feeling you're being pulled or called somewhere?"

He gave her a half-nod.

"Well, after my birthday, I got this random thought bubble. What if I lived in Brooklyn? At first I shot it down. Me, a person who gets insane anxiety from large masses of people, live in New York City? No way."

Vaun waited patiently as she continued to speak.

"But this urgent need to go there kept building and building until I decided to go, for real. It was driving me nuts. I've been here for five months now yet nothing..." Rae spun her hands in the air, fishing for the word. "Magical? Eh, yeah, magical has happened."

She grimaced and apologized to him. "My bad. I meet you so you're kind of magical I guess."

The Born shot her an unamused glare. "I am not _magical_." He spat the word as if glitter coated it.

Rae laughed at his expression. Sheepishly, she glanced at him through her hair. As lame as it sounds,that bugging from an unseen force stopped once she found him in that ally. Afraid of this complex array of emotions to him, Rae didn't mention that part.

"That's why I'm here." She finished.

"You traveled to this place on a hunch that could literally turn out to be nothing?" He was impressed and flabbergasted at the notion that had sprung from this little quiet woman next to him.

"Yup," Rae grabbed the Playsation controller and turned the machine on. Perhaps she'd tell him the rest another time, when she figured out this mess growing inside her heart.

"Watch something with me?" She requested, eyes eager for him to reply.

Vaun sighed. "Is it more chest bursting organisms?"

"No, but there is a more even cooler organism." Rae grinned wide with a mischievous glint behind her glasses.

His shoulders deflated. "Of course there is." He pinched the flesh between his eyes. "What are they?"

"They hunt people and take their skulls for trophies?" She offered.

"I do not understand your fascination with the gory and painful demise of your own kind but," Vaun folded his hands across his lap. "It sounds mildly interesting."

Rae let out an excited noise and went to fetch Predator from her precious collection.

Unsurprisingly to Vaun this time around, Rae had fallen asleep against him almost to the climax. He allowed this brief contact to his shoulder. However, he glanced down at her sleeping form, it didn't look entirely comfortable.

Swatting aside the instruction of keeping humans at bay and giving into the instinct, Vaun maneuvered his limb so she slid into the crook of his arm. Instead of realizing his minor of fear of rousing her, Rae remained in slumber. In fact, much to Vaun's shock, she snuggled into his chest.

He stared at her while she unconsciously curled further into his natural high body heat. This should have felt unwanted, distasteful, horrific even, but Vaun felt none of those. The complete opposite flooded his system. The half-breed felt content in this position, happy, at some stage of peace.

Tentatively, Vaun wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned his head against her own. It felt right. He had not felt homely before. He didn't truly belong in the den with the Hunters or in society with the humans, yet Rae him welcomed here.

Vaun nuzzled the crown of her head, breathing in her scent. He purred, pulling closer into him. So strange this female, enticing in ways Vaun did not understand. Whatever was growing between them, he'd meet it head on. He was not one to back from a challenge, no matter the form it appeared.

The desire to stay with her was strong this untended visit but the Ancients may notice his absence. He had stayed longer than he first anticipated. The Hunters could not be counted on to cover his tracks, leaving him no choice but to leave now.

Carefully, and regretfully, Vaun separated from Rae. She grumbled in her sleep and nestled deeper into the cushion, trying to regain the level of warmth and comfort he provided. He smirked. Humans were such silly creatures.

He knelt down and successfully resisted the urge to nuzzle her. Vaun gently brushed her mane away from her ear and whispered,

"I'll see you soon."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! :D This took me awhile because I fretted over this part. I wanted to get every detail right and believe I kinda managed to accomplish that. Thank you all for the kind comments on the previous chapter. You all are amazing. ^^
> 
> Enjoy!

A month had flown by and the cool wind of a Fall arrived with it. Halloween was near and Rae was absolutely giddy with excitement. It was her favorite holiday and she decorated with vigor.

Little plastic pumpkins lined the shelves and TV stand, the tiny electric candle inside them flickering with the spooky light effect. See through mummies hung about the door's frame. She even put one of those gel stickers in the design of a zombie on the window; which Vaun used as an entrance. The dhampir had wheeled back when he noticed the decaying figure seemingly 'bursting forth' from the glass.

He hadn't appreciated it or her laughter at his supposed flustered expression.

Currently said Born was sitting on the couch attempting to control her Destiny character. Rae had been playing the game prior to his pop in. Now she was scooping out a pumpkin's intestines over the counter.

The sky was dark with night and stars glittered in the vast blanket of pitch that covered the atmosphere. Perfect time to set out a Jack O' Lantern. Rae grinned when she heard Vaun growl about humans and their infuriatingly slow reflexes. He learned quickly.

He had gotten pulled into a Strike and was in a party with two others. Apparently they had let him die and were missing opportune moments to finish off the boss. She placed the carving knife aside and watched Vaun.

A warlock had revived him and he shook his head, muttering at the slothful speed it took for them to do so. Rae smiled. The past weeks had changed in ways she wouldn't have believed if she traveled back in time and told her 'younger' self about this.

Rae and Vaun had developed a ritual of sorts. He would arrive on evenings that she had off and greet her in a new way that surprised her. After giving Thor a mild glare, he would come over and nuzzle her. Eventually Rae became used to this rubbing and returned the gesture with a hug. Vaun made this purring noise each time she embraced him.

She joked he must be part cat and he actually chuckled lowly at that. It was a deep and pleasant sound, one Vaun didn't make often. Both opened up more and more to each other. Rae even became comfortable over crossing the barrier that had been erect ever since she was little. He had to be touching her somehow. Whether it was fiddling with her hair, holding her wrist or hand, or merely standing close while she was doing something.

God, it was like they were a couple or whatever.

Rae rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. Was that necessarily a bad thing? Her light brown eyes took him in from her post in the kitchen.

Vaun wasn't grotesque but he was unnatural. The long slits on the corners of his lips gave him the look of a Glasgow smile; sharp teeth and a stinger lurked in his mouth. His skin was so pale it displayed the network of blue veins strewn beneath. But she thought his face, despite the sunken state of his red and black eyes, was handsome.

He was attractive in a weird way. She _liked_ weird.

Plus, she smirked at the discovery she made the other night. His elvish like ears were super sensitive. Perhaps she was evil for this, but she didn't care. Vaun claimed it didn't hurt. However, he preferred she rather not do it often.

Rae knew why. It was a weak spot. Vaun, half of the feared and powerful vampire, was ticklish. Those super adorable, tipped ears were ticklish. Rae smirked wider at the diabolic plan forming in her head. It would such a shame if he suddenly became distracted.

Sneaking up on him was a difficult feat but he was so invested in growling at his team mates that he didn't notice her inch closer. Leaning over the couch, just above his shoulder, Rae announced her whereabouts.

"Don't miss," She half laughed, running a nail over the shell of his ear.

Vaun hissed in a breath and froze. His reaction was similar to someone pouring cold water down a person's shirt. His spine bent inward, pushing his chest out. The Born gripped the controller so tightly, it creaked at the pressure.

"Dammit, Rae!" He grunted. Rae clenched her jaw, trying to prevent the bubbling laughter from escaping. He tried to grab at her but she dipped from his swipe.

Vaun growled. "Come here,"

"Nope," She refused, and let her amusement flood out in fits of chuckling.

The Born narrowed his eyes at her. "You know I hate that."

"But it's funny," Rae pleaded her case for her actions.

"Hardly," He argued.

"Then don't make it so funny." She shrugged, stepping away from him.

Vaun saw her retreat. He set down the controller and said again, more firmly, "Come here."

"Not uh," Rae stuck her tongue out at him and darted off.

She knew she shouldn't play with this game with him, tempting the predator inside him to wake, but it was a moment free of what to do and not.

Her mother always warned her about making impulsive decisions.

He chased her of course. Keeping their little game of tag set at a human pace to prolong it, they dove in and out of each other's reach; Thor barking at the end of the hall, tail wagging to and fro unsure whether to defend or join in.

Vaun's impatience won in the end. She was easily ensnared by his swiftness. He had trapped her to the tile floor in the kitchen, thighs straddling her hips. Vaun pinned her thin wrists with his hands. Rae was still wheezing out some giggles.

He shook his head. "You are ridiculous."

Rae smiled through her pants. "And you're too damn fast."

Vaun's small grin of victory wore away as his gaze narrowed, like he was suddenly confused. Rae steadied her breath and paused, slightly worried by his quick change. She tilt her head to the side slowly, keeping eye contact with him, pronouncing the tendons in her neck. His usual red and black eyes turned nearly completely pitch. His fingers curled tighter.

'Oh shit,' She thought, upset with herself for goading him and a bit scared about what might happen next.

Whatever unseen turmoil was waging on inside him finally chose a winning side.

He lowered his head and traced her jawline with his nose, trailing down the path of her throat. She stiffened when he located her pulse. He purred deeply at finding it beating loud and strong. Rae forced herself to keep calm, focusing on controlling her climbing anxiety.

Thrashing underneath him like a cornered animal would not place the odds in her favor. Her fingers gnashed into a fist when his lips skimmed over her pulse.

He wouldn't bite her. He wouldn't- That rumbling purr turned into a delighted groan. Vaun's mouth opened slightly, his fangs gently running over her skin.

"Vaun!" Rae harshly called his name, desperate with hope that it would knock him of this. 

* * *

 

Vaun knew it was dangerous to follow her childish act but he indulged her regardless. He hadn't felt any trace of thirst. He would merely catch her and be done.

However, it was not that simple.

She had been subdued after he lead on the chase. Rae accused him of being too quick. He smirked at her breathless state, her hair spread about her head like a halo. Something twisted in his gut then.

He remained stoic but felt conflicted by the perplexing female pinned below. She was so, so very strange to him. Rae's presence called to him in various ways. She was inviting, making him want to curl up beside her and sleep. He wanted to talk to her, hear her voice. He wanted to be around her, to constantly touch her. Had he not responded to these pulls accordingly?

Such a conundrum put Vaun in a difficult position. What could he do to satisfy this...?

His proboscis did not give him an answer. It barely shifted in his gullet, not effected by this conflict. Although the hunger she did minutely entice he understood, this phenomenon went nameless. And it drove him mad. Why could he feel what he could not comprehend? It was similar to the pull he felt in the Hunters to his Masters. The ache in other _strigoi_ to have those they loved.

Vaun shuddered. **Impossible.** Did he feel that strongly for this human?

Rae's scent engulfed him in their close proximity. It shackled him in a daze, rousing hunger, but not one he could identify. The rich flavor of her blood did indeed interest him but this felt different. Nuzzling the rim of her jaw, he then descended to the valley of her throat.

Her pulse pounded beneath her flesh, drawing him closer to the source.

His purr became a gargled groan as his lips brushed over the bloodbeat. His stinger surprisingly kept silent, uncaring. Vaun opened his mouth, scrapping his fangs against her delicate flesh. She smelled _so good_.

"Vaun!" She shrieked his name with fear. It shook him to the core.

The Born returned to his senses and realized what this looked like. His audibly snapped his mouth shut and flung himself off her person, hitting his back against the cabinets and halting his retreat any further. Vaun clamped both hands over his mouth where his feeding organ writhed behind his teeth, jostled by the abrupt movement.

God, he nearly- he almost _fed_ on her!?

Terror struck the dhampir cold. Was that what that urge was?! He buried his head behind his forearms. He didn't want to feel it ever again! The mind tormenting him now as an image of her drained, lifeless and ruined.

Her worried tone filtered into his ears but he would not hear of it.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Why was she trying to comfort him?! _He_ was the one who tried to _drink her!_ Vaun wished to open his eyes to rid himself of the image of her, below him and helpless, to look at her. But that picture of her, eyes wide and glassy with the impending fear of what nearly occurred would chained him there. She looked so frightened. Frightened of _him_. He promised to never hurt her!

 _Dammit!_ He growled, flinching from her gentle touch.

He heard her sigh but remain in front him. Vaun rose his gaze a tad, gloves still stuck to his mouth. She sat with her knees tucked and arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes were wet with tears that spilled over and down her face. Rae appeared calm but her scent reeked of fear.

Unable to muster the courage to actually speak to her, Vaun entered her mind. _Why haven't you cast me out?_

* * *

Why haven't you cast me out?

Rae's pity doubled for the dhampir at how shattered his voice sounded in her head. She swallowed. "Why would I do that?"

Vaun hissed into his gloves.

I nearly _bit_ you! He shrieked, the volume bouncing through her cranium.

Rae winced at it. "Accidents happen..." She whispered, sounding unsure about it even as she said the words.

 _Accidents_ , Vaun scoffed.

"I shouldn't have goaded you like that..." Rae felt ashamed of her behavior, knowing it might rustle the darker half of him. "You can't help... how particular aspects of you respond." She suggested weakly.

Rae became timid. This nature surfacing when she was uncertain how to proceed or handle things. Her thoughts were erratic. What could she say to fix this?

She chewed on her lip while Vaun resumed chipping away at himself. Rae knew the reason she offered was pathetic. It didn't give any balm to soothe the burning shame of what nearly happened. Breaking a not-quite promise. However, her profile flushed. Thinking back with a more calm eye Vaun's expression had not entirely been one of thirst.

Mindless circles were traced in her jean pant leg. What did she know of that hunger? He had never brought the subject up after almost a month ago and she hadn't ever gotten a peek of how it was truly performed. Although, Rae wasn't a veteran in experience with that _hunger_ either.

Had she been mistaken? The only times Rae participated in those actives was when both were intoxicated or the fumbling mess she had been in high school in the back of the guy's car. She couldn't bring up how any looked with clarity. Rae shoved high school as far back as her brain would allow and others, she cared less about in all honesty.

Vaun was still rooted in the same position, but propping his chin against the tops of his folded arms that hooked around his knees. She gave his appearance another study. The hairless surface of his skull, the pointed ears, and pale marble like skin. Those red and black eyes that were always calculating and secretive had been almost eclipsed by pitch.

Was it a terrible thing to be _desired_ by one like him? No, it was not awful, but Rae just never believed herself to be enticing. She had been ever so easily over looked most of her life it came as a disbelief. Then again, judging solely on his reaction to what occurred between them, did Vaun not know either?

Swallowing her fear and gathering her nerve, Rae crept cautiously on her knees toward the sulking Born. She didn't act on these impulses as they damn near absent but she had to at least know.

He sensed her approach and glared. _Do not._

Scrunching her face up in meek defiance, Rae did not waver. Instead of backing down as Vaun kept insisting, she grasped his wrists and gently unwound his hold around his knee caps. While he did not stop from this, he watched her closely.

_What are you doing?_

Vaun did not break the mental chain between them yet; too distracted by the event before and her probably strange conduct.

Rae then guided his arms to secure them about her waist and her own around his neck. He stared at her wide eyed, puzzled by this. She brought her forehead to his and leaned there, their nose brushing softly. He became stone in their awkward embrace, not blinking once as they stared at each other.

Trust was the most important piece of foundation in any relationship Rae formed. It was a key to make sure they could be maintained. She wanted to show him, even after what nearly happened back there, was forgiven. That she still wanted to be near him.

Vaun relaxed some as his gaze began to become lidded. He closed the small space left in the middle of them and nuzzled her breast bone. He released a purr, returning her hold.

_What on earth are you doing to me?_

* * *

 

Vaun had no prompt to release her from his grip until she complained about her legs cramping. He let her go with haste. Mostly due to her pain but also the shock of what he just allowed.

Was he that starved of touch that he caved in like an abandoned pup?!

Inwardly, Vaun snarled at weakness drawn from the human side of him. Both halves conflicted on this evening on whether or not to cooperate with one another. He calmed down some when realizing her hand remained connected to his.

_Damn it._

"What was that?" Rae tilt her head to the side with a utterly cute but confused look.

He cut the physic tie with her immediately. "Nothing," Vaun growled.

"Come set the pumpkin out with me?" Rae asked sheepishly, still staring at their conjoined hands. Vaun wanted to refuse, feeling he needed to put space between them after this, but found he couldn't deny her anything when looking into those hazel eyes. A weakness, he berated himself. There was no room for such things.

However, his grip tightened and he replied, "If that is your wish."

He would carry this chip in his armor then. What was the true harm? The world was in balance. No call to answer.

Rae graced him with that wide smile and she bounced off to retrieve the cut up vegetable, or fruit. Vaun couldn't remember. They went outside on the fire escape. The animal kept inside.

She ignited the small wick aflame and the lantern glowed, illuminating the 'scary' face she created. Clapping her hands together in delight, Rae spun around and motioned for him to sit. He complied.

As Vaun began to cross his legs, she planted her form between his thighs and tucks herself there before he can reject the idea.

"What are you-?" He starts to question her choice of seat but settles more when Rae leans against his chest, completely unfazed from before.

"You're nice and toasty." Rae claims, glancing up at him.

A pain twists in his chest like a knife at her expression. Blush dusted her face. Her grin was bashful. He felt his face flush. She was adorable.

"My body temperature is above the mortal range." He informs.

Vaun rattled tugging her closer to him with his forearm, keeping her there. It was growing cooler at this time of year and human's body temperature always fell below his own.

"Mmm." He nuzzled into her locks, ignored the smell of chemicals in it. She had dyed it a brighter and abnormal colour in honor of the holiday coming up. Vaun hated how it overpowered her own natural scent but did not voice it. Rae worked hard to save up for the hair style and he had no wish to ruin it.

He did however, hate something else right now. Vaun despised he could not pin point exactly what he experienced in the kitchen. It seemed like blood hunger but felt so different. The even more peculiar thing about it was now, the feeling had completely vanished.

To be exact, since the dhampir disconnected their minds, he had not felt a trace of it. He knit the flesh of his brow together in frustration. Their kind was emphatic to emotions, to aura. It was how they detected deceit, malice, and other possible dangers.

Vaun could smell sorrow, anger, fear, and other broad spectrum of emotion. In the apartment, he had not scented anything besides mild fright. What in the world caused an urge to feed yet not to ensue? Did it have something to do with the link?

These enigmas would be to rest for now and left to be pondered later, perhaps with some advice from Quinlan. Currently he felt Rae fidget and nervousness poured from her.

"Are you well?" He asked, pushing further into his chest to peer down.

Her lips were pursed and gaze diverted else where. "I want to ask you something."

He blinked. "Go on,"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek before relenting the question. "Um, you can say no if you want." Rae shrugged.

Vaun shook his head. "Just ask, please."

Rae flushed a deeper hue of red. "Would you be my date for Halloween?"

_What??_

* * *

 

In the abyss three creatures nearly as old as Earth stood in a state bordering the line of reality and dreams-cape. They so rarely moved anymore; the world so advanced, it no longer needed the guidance from the shadows. In response to such development, they chose as one mind to slumber.

Yet in the cocoon for darkness beneath the streets of New York, one immortal being did not sleep.

Its gaze was like molten fire, burning in the pitch that was its chamber. Emotions for saved for humanity and animals, it was above such primal things. Except a spark of what tasted like anger rose inside it when it saw that once more a missing body from its coven.

It hissed at the impotence . Did the Born believe it naive? Stupid? Of course it noticed his absence. It witnessed the half-breed leave his pack and go rogue into the city.

What was he after? Its thought crossed over to the other Born it was attempting to contact. It would not allow its own Born to be compromised!

Snarling into the blackness between the vast distance of their minds, it demanded again the Born's attention.

The Roman child kept himself sown tightly in coil of dark silence. He ignored them quite often, refusing to work for them as they meant nothing to him. It would not be so easily tossed aside this time.

Eventually the Born turned his attention to it, however slight.

 _You do realize you are acting keen to a child._ He spat, annoyed at its intrusion.

_Mind your tongue, Born. I require your assistance._

The child growled. _I owe you no allegiance nor will to obey. Leave me._

It already knew these answers. It would play a more human note, tug at the heart strings. Be _as it may, its concerns Vaun._

His mind returned, briefly interested. _What's happened?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I may have confused some of you. Maybe not. Ask away if I have. So there is 2-3 more chapters until we get into actual Strain timeline! I'm getting so excited. X3 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, everybody! I am sorry for the long wait thanks to my need to make sure this came out right and the random fits of unwellness. Although I do feel it is worth the prolonged time. In this chapter, Q makes an appearance again, more insight with Rae, and the final part. >:)
> 
> Please enjoy! :D

_Date._

Vaun rolled the word on his tongue thoughtfully. It was a four lettered word that had different uses in sentence structure; various definitions depending on the action. Marking the specific course in time, an event to remember, or inferring said thing made one feel their age.

This particular utilization of that word implied he was to accompy Rae on all Hallow's Eve. As what exactly, Vaun wasn't entirely sure of. He overheard random mortals passed by that they had a date to attend later on in the day, but never describing it fully.

His brows knit, appalled. The dhampir spent little to none time in studying the other half of his heritage of these age; the youths of this era being loud and spoiled, so the play on certain words flew past him.

_Date._

God damn word! Why did he rushingly accept her invitation when he knew nothing of the meaning behind it?! Her bashful expression reminded him, causing a groan of defeat and agony escaping.

_Damn it. Damn it. Damn it._

His rapid pacing had not relented since arriving early in the morning. One of the Hunters even checked on the source of unnatural behavior. Vaun dismissed the curious _strigoi_ with a frustrated roar. It skittered back into the dark hallway.

The young Born felt in over his head on this. He may have accepted what was to come involving the woman without looking ahead. His stinger lazily gurgled in his breast. She set so many things in motion within him, Vaun didn't have the faintest idea where to begin.

It would be foolish of him not to ask for guidance.

Vaun reached out to his mentor and was unsurprisingly blocked by thick cloud of darkness. It wasn't highly unusual for the Roman to be cut off for years. Quinlan placed his mind in a void to remain undisturbed when either evidence of his marker had been uncovered or something unsettling happened.

While he respected the elder Born greatly, Vaun felt shunned when he needed his help the most.

Despite not being able to dig up any information that could aide him, Vaun sat down on his cot and waited for the eve to fall. Rae wouldn't play a trick on him. He was at least sure in that. But, what did she expect?

He'd find out later on he supposed.

* * *

Rae combed through with her purple dyed locks with disdain. She stood before the mirror in the bathroom with an unimpressed frown. Nothing was falling just right in place.

The young woman had accepted not being a natural beauty unlike many others in her family who practically glowed, but the rebellious strike her hair was going through needed to quit! She huffed a fed up puff of air, making her bangs jump up. In regular circumstances her appearance didn't bother her too much.

Did she follow the 'beauty secrets' of this era? Unless it was concealer for when her skin decided to break out, fuck no. They always made her feel extraordinarily fake and her face feel it was five inches thick. Besides, junk was expensive! Rae was more of save her earnings for books and collective figures. And food. Food was always good.

Cupping her small breasts, Rae let her hands fall with a defeated sigh to her nonexistent waist. Rae felt she resembled a plank. Worse was once when she was a young teenager, she had been mistaken for a boy. God she'd never forget that.

Judging by her figure you wouldn't have guessed it.

Her body had been on the slimmer side of the fence since childhood. An overactive thyroid was the root of her weight. It explained a lot if you knew her personally. But that just gave room for being a subject to envy and bullying.

She sighed. It did leave a mark on her emotionally but, Rae just boxed it all away and dealt with it when she had the time; which recently felt like never. They were strangers, she kept telling herself. They didn't matter. Yet that proved very little to ease the stinging bite of their words.

Giving up since she was going to work a in few, what little she could go to accomplish would be ruined, Rae flipped the light off and went to fetch her bag. She felt more sure in selecting an outfit anyways. Rae gave Thor's bronze crown a 'see ya later' rub, snagging her keys and exited. She was leaving early today because of the diner closing for the holiday evening.

A final and lingering thought about her look made her stride slower. Did Vaun care about how she looked?

She'd find out tonight she supposed. 

* * *

 

Vaun loomed in the shadows on the metal fire escape of the building sharing the street of Rae's workplace. He watched as her small figure briskly walk back and forth between the long counter and lines of tables near the large glass windows, rushing to fulfill the patrons needs before they closed for the holiday. She informed him they would be closing early and asked to meet her here.

He clutched the steel rail tightly. Dread pooled in his chest. Vaun was hesitant to do this as it meant to be seen. This went against every rule set in stone in his mind and body. To risk exposure meant to risk much. Rae assured him they would go in least populated areas and would not keep out long if he still felt that uncomfortable.

The Born rattled. It was not about being uncomfortable but the possible repercussion that could follow. The idea of putting Rae in danger of either human rebuke or punishment by the Old Ones made his stomach pinch. He had a vague concept of how Quinlan felt around his late wife.

His worry was pushed aside for the moment as he noticed Rae pause in fractions. Sliding her hair back, adjusting her glasses or busying herself with some meaningless task. Each movement shared a common trait, her eyes would slightly flicker to random points of darkness as if searching.

An odd fluttering occurred in his stomach when he thought maybe she was looking for him. Heat burned in his face as that musing was connected to the sensation in his belly. Of course she would be! Vaun was to meet her here. Childish...

But Rae did finally appear to notice him in his hiding spot and sent him a tiny yet knowing grin. The fluttering grew more and turned into a knot. Vaun couldn't release the hold he had on the wall and merely returned the action with a nod.

_Damn it._

He watched over her work as the hours ticked by and the skies began to paint with twilight colours. She certainly was a busy thing, dashing to one end of the restaurant to the other. While Rae didn't hold a graceful air about her, she proved him wrong this evening. Handling the filled trays and keeping track of everything while maintaining a steady pace was not a simple feat for her short temper.

Vaun chuckled when he envisioned her rage fits aimed at the gaming station. For one so very small, she certainly had a way to heard for sure. He'd describe her little outbursts as cute which only egged on the tantrums. It grew near to the closing hour posted on the clear door. Vaun rose from his crouched position and waited for Rae to exit.

She appeared from the kitchen area and stood where he could spot her. To his disbelief, Rae gestured for him to come inside.

Apprehension nailed Vaun to his secluded area. She couldn't be serious!?

 _I am not going in there._ The telepathic link between lit up as he sent her that message.

He could tell from here she was pouting. _It's empty! Plus no one is going to come in. We're closed in like, three minutes!_

A weak argument. She couldn't predict the masses and their decisions. He gave the surroundings a quick scan. It was rather vacant as the crowds began to thin.

Vaun growled as her expression just became more and more hopeful. His legs moved on their accord. Thankfully the Born chose to dress less brow raising and went with just his jacket (he never left behind his gloves) and cargo pants. This was hard enough already without his attire grasping attention.

_Damn it!_

_I heard that._ Her voice startled him mid jump to the street.

* * *

 

Rae nearly burst with excitement as Vaun begrudgingly entered the diner. His profile was hidden by the hood being tugged so low. She was surprised he could even see properly. But Rae noticed the small down turn of his lips.

She walked up to him quickly. "I'm sorry." The idea of him just glimpsing at what she did, even if it was just food service, made her happy. "But I thought you might be curious."

He grumbled yet took her wrist like he usually did in his hand. "This is the first and last time, Rae." His voice was deeper the quieter he spoke. It caught Henry's old ear.

She understood. This couldn't be a regular thing. He'd never be able to sit in during her last hour and wait for her to be released. It just wasn't possible.

Nodding, Rae lead him over to the furthest table. Vaun briskly took the seat and folded his arms over his chest, keeping his head dipped.

 _Please hurry._ He asked of her, red and black eyes trained on the faded tan surface of the table.

Rae promised and walked back to the counter to pick up the tray of condiments to put away.

Henry made her pause in a hushed tone as she passed him getting ready to cash out. "You got a boyfriend, Williams?"

She blushed at least four different types of red. Vaun's slight turn to glance at her answer added one more shade.

Rae fumbled with her reply. "I-uh... he's er... I mean, sure." She choked out finally.

Henry gave her a cheerful smile and a soft pat on her the shoulder. "Good for you." He looked at Vaun's curled in form closer now. "A bit of an odd fellow."

"Um, am I that cookie cutter?" Rae asked in a tease. The old man laughed as he knew a great deal. "True. Hurry up so you kids can get out of here."

Rae thanked him and rushed off with the items and their shelve. She felt the bond hum as his voice entered her mind again. _Who is that? What's a boyfriend? And I am_ not _a kid._

She kept her laugh inside. _My manager Henry. He's a sweet old guy. Like he's supposed to know he's looking at a four hundred year old half-vampire._

_You didn't answer me. What is a boyfriend?_

Hmm, she wondered how to explain that but went with, _I'll give the details outside._

Vaun agreed, his presence leaving her's. One minute left on the clock. Rae smiled in minor success, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. Nothing bad happe-

The little bell jingled and made Rae shoot up like a rocket. She could've sworn she heard Vaun growl.

Henry greeted the guests. "Evening gentlemen, we're about to close for Hallo-"

"You got a minute old G. Says on the door you ain't closed yet." A cocky Brooklyn voice mixed with a gangsta flare boomed in the place.

Rae darted out from the back and saw Henry glare at the two young men, the obnoxious one being a tall light skinned guy with a various amount of tattoos both coloured and old style, the other being shorter but built like a truck. He was tanner than the loud one with darker short cropped hair.

"Place is all to ourselves too," The companion crowed until his warm brown eyes land on Vaun's irate form hunched over. "'Cept that freak in the corner."

"Ignore'im, Raph," He rolled his shoulders and made himself comfortable in the booth near the door.

Henry whispered to Rae, "Let me handle them." They had some bad run ins with street types before, acting like they owned the turf.

She shook her head. "I'm not gonna let you be here by yourself."

Rae didn't trust the so far nameless pale man. He gave a vibe that made her skin crawl.

With trembling hands, Rae traded her pack for the lone pad left out by Amber on the counter and walked over to the pair. The sickening feeling the guy gave her only intensified when he leered at her as she crossed the distance. Rae felt Vaun's gravely voice in her head followed. _Do not engage with him, Rae. I don't like him._

 _I kind of have to._ It was a weak excuse but all she had. A disgruntled rattle echoed in her head. All she wanted to do was get this over with.

She flashed the pair a fake cheerful smile, pretending they weren't creeps and that she was actually happy to serve them.

"W-what... can I get you two?" Rae managed to stutter out. Breath in and out. In. Out.

Raph didn't speak, waiting for the supposed leader to go first. His green eyed gaze traveled over Rae's frame, drinking her in like she were a glass of fresh water and he was partched. She shivered at his obvious lustful study.

"I'm not sure." His wandering sight lingered a second too long on her breasts. Her heart hammering painfully just behind the flesh. "Anything good on the menu?"

This guy was just here to be an asshole. She had to keep reminding herself about that. Swallowing her shaken nerves, Rae listed off the plates that usually sold well. He wasn't paying too much attention to her words as much as he was staring her mouth. She swore she heard Vaun hiss.

"That's sounds nice and all but," He looked over her to the kitchen, scouting to see if she were the only girl. "Nothing better?"

Rae shouldn't have felt the bitter bite of rejection from this scum of a man but it still stung. Focusing on the hurt, she twisted it into a spark of irritation. Her hazel eyes narrowed. His rose a brow at her sudden change of defiance.

"No, there isn't it." She spat, "But since you felt the need to arrive so late and be completely rude, there is not a damn thing better for you."

His eyes darkened and Rae flinched. The situation just switched and probably got worse.

"We'll just grab a couple of Cokes and we'll be on our way." He replied, leaning back in a haughty way. "You're free to join us, sweetheart." Trying to sugar coat it, eh?

"No. Thank. You." She ground out.

Rae didn't want to speak anymore in fear of turning the bastard on even more and spun on her heel to pour their beverages into to-go cups. She didn't believe this could get any worse but fate decided to prove her wrong yet again. A swift palm slapped against her backside. "I do like'em feisty though."

Humiliation and pure rage burned her cheeks. She'd been followed before in book stores and areas like malls, but never had some creep had the actual balls to touch her! Rae twisted around, jaw set and went to rend them a new asshole when she noticed out of the corner of her eye Vaun was missing.

A brush of air and flash of black, Vaun had maneuvered her behind him and latched an iron grip onto the man's throat. He lifted the guy easily a few inches off his seat and glared at him, those red and black eyes promising violence.

"Touch her with your filthy hands again and you will lose them." He warned, his stinger rattling threateningly in his mouth.

The man gagged as Vaun increased the pressure on his neck. He smacked at Vaun's forearms in a fruitless attempt to release him. Raph said something harshly in Spanish and whipped out a hidden pistol, aiming at Vaun.

Rae let out a noise of fright for the dhampir. He looked over his shoulder at her before understanding the source of her cry. Vaun quickly grabbed hold of the other gangster's wrist and bent it backward. It cracked with a successful break. The gun dropped to the tile flooring.

He hollered, "Fuck this!"

He grimaced and made a break for it, leaving his boy behind. Vaun didn't follow after the coward. He returned his attention to the bastard in his vice. The man's profile had turned a bright red from the lack of oxygen and tears ran down his face. Rae thought for a minute Vaun truly might hurt him or worse.

"Let him go!" She urged, desperately tugging on the sleeve of his jacket.

He glanced at her with a look of shock and disgust. "You just want to me to spare him? He touched you against your will!" Vaun growled with venom.

"I know but he's just a piece of shit! He's not worth this!" Rae tried to convey what he knew deep down. If his masters heard of him spilling mortal blood without a reason of their own accord, she may never see him again.

Something must've clicked as his fingers loosened and Vaun dropped him without so much a care. He wheezed and coughed to regain the precious air he had been denied. The douche peered up at his attacker and went deathly still.

"Fucking freak!" He yelled, scrambling to his feet and proceeded running for his life; knocking several people out of his path.

Vaun snarled and went to advance but Rae locked her small hands around his elbow. "Don't go after him, please." She pleaded, close to tears. "Please."

Henry's concerned voice broke the tension. "R-Rae, what..." His wide eyes were trained on Vaun's rumbling figure with fear.

"I'll explain later!" Rae promised, pulling more harshly on his limb; managing to set the Born in motion to go out. To her surprise, Vaun remained steadfast. She hurriedly snatched up her bag and returned to him.

Vaun was still growling in the direction the creep and his pal retreated in as Rae dragged him off into the side ally where the dhampir came from. His whole body was shaking. Rae felt ashamed.

This was all her fault...

* * *

 

He'd released the bastard on account of Rae's dismay invading his senses. While Vaun found that odor to be mouthwatering on prey, he despised scenting on her. Especially when it was because of him.

The Born could still pick up their foul stench as he awaited Rae on the pavement. He growled threateningly, his body trembling from the anger and rush of a possible chase. She clasped her tiny hands around him again and he allowed her to drag him away.

Vaun had no wish to cause her fright any further. He swat her hand off and prowled back and forth in the ally, his sight still fixed on their direction. Blinding rage was provoked in him now. He was briefly connected to her when he felt all those emotions that son of a bitch put her through.

**Apprehension. Degraded. Vexation.**

Those alone were enough for Vaun to intervene but the final mark in the rung was when the male struck her flesh without her permission and with lustful intention. It filled Vaun with so many emotions, although only some he was entirely familiar with. The act was dishonorable in itself but it wasn't the true reason for his anger.

His gaze settled on Rae's worried stance as she watched him deal with this conflict. That feeling surged again. He snarled, kicking a dumpster a few feet back. She flinched at the display his raw emotion put into his power.

That lowly, sick, _unworthy_ male put his disgusting hands on _his_ mortal against her will. That boy did not deserve to touch her, his human, his friend, his-

Vaun paused when realization hit him.

When he did start calling Rae his? She was his companion, a trusted mortal yes, but by no means _his_. He clutched the fabric covering his torso. Is that what this was? Was he possessive of her?

He discreetly glanced at her again from under his hood. Those warm brown eyes and all what reflected back in them. It grew stronger again as it became known. Vaun growled. Oh yes, yes he was.

_What in the world are you doing to me?_

Instead of asking her that very question, he barked, "Why aren't you letting me go after them? _Him_?!"

She shuddered at the volume of his tone. "Because he's a nobody and he needs to stay that way."

He shook his head. Unbelievable. "He needs to be punished for his actions! You can't just-"

Rae cut him off with a cold interruption. "Meaning you're gonna kill him?"

Vaun faltered and looked away from her disappointed gaze. "He has no right."

She folded her arms. "You're totally on fucking point, but that doesn't mean his life is forfeit now."

"Men and others have been killed for less."

Frowning at him, she added, "Yeah, back in the day. We're not in the past anymore."

He scowled at her sensible comment, but the persistent nagging to pursue after the foolish human was stronger. Brushing past her, he went to do just that when Rae miraculously caught him.

"Hey! Do you seriously want to get in trouble with your bosses over a single human?"

She made another good point but that did nothing to derail him. "They will not know of it. So it matters not." He hissed back, twisting slightly to glare down at her.

"Oh yeah? It might matter when they find about me!" She screeched, her emotions at the peek.

Vaun faltered in light of those words. She was absolutely correct. They'd make her an example somehow to him...

His muscles felt frozen over with what occurred next. Vaun was knocked out of his morbid train of thought as Rae's mouth collided with his thin lips.

* * *

 

The tension between them was so thick in the air, Rae could've cut it with a hot knife. Vaun hadn't said much since they left the city but he kept his fingers intertwined with her's, even as they entered her apartment. She gently tugged her arm, hinting for him to release the appendage.

The Born snapped out of whatever daze Rae had put him in and dropped it with a reluctant speed. He remained standing by the entry way, motionless like a statue. Rae cast him a worried glance as she turned on the lights. He didn't even flinch at the sudden illumination.

One last fretting look was sent in his unchanged and rigid posture before she retreated momentarily into her bedroom. Thor looked up instantly when she entered. He tilted his head to the right side, ears perked. Rae flashed a sad smile and patted her companion on the head.

She shrugged off her pack and set it on the bed. The dog leaned forward to sniff the item hence the grease and food scent most likely pouring off it. Rae pushed his nose out of the way as she retrieved the outfit she stuffed inside prior to leaving for her shift.

Simple dark jeans, a purple sweater, and black beanie with the word _Atari_ printed into the fabric, were dumped onto the mattress. Rae sighed and kicked off her sneakers. Might as well change into something more comfortable.

Rae threw off her current stained work attire and slipped on the laid out choice of clothes. Mildly satisfied with the feel of fresh clothes, she kicked the dirty ones next to the door and brushed the knots from her hair. She didn't really understand why she was bothering with _fluffing up_ , but it helped even if for just a little bit.

Her eyes caught her reflection at the stand where a small mirror was set. The hazel gaze fell sadly. Was she really that unappealing? A pale being stared back through the looking glass, nit picking at itself.

She never really kept up with her physical look. She was clean and healthy so that's all that mattered right? Scratching at her sickly thin wrists made her purse her mouth. People found her... creepy due to her lanky form.

**What's the matter with you? Are you sick? Do you make yourself gag and throw up?**

Those type of questions always hung in the air or reflected in observers expressions. She knew how she looked but it wasn't her fault. She was just born this way. Muddy brown hair hung just below her ears. Black glasses covered the dark circles under her light brown eyes.

Her bone structure in the face was normal, she guessed, but not sharp and defined like the women people hounded after. Her teeth had a yellow tint to them and not shiny and pearlescent like models on TV or magazines. Her lips were thin and not plump or having that natural pout.

Rae poked the tip of her longish nose. Often, she joked to friend about resembling a bird; each time it earned a laugh but always denied. Rae knew her appearance was... odd and plain.

Yep, just an ordinary plain Jane. She mused the old line.

Turning away from the mirror, Rae wondered if Vaun was still out there. If he was, would he even talk to her or just leave and never come back?

Inwardly, she chastised herself. This is why she didn't act on these urges. They always fucked everything up. She felt tempted to keep in here until he got fed up and did actually leave.

Rae grit her jaw. No, fuck that! They were both adults! Well, Vaun being the far older adult. They would talk it out like two responsible people. Then again, he was only half people...

She rubbed the back of her head and groaned at the inner narrative. 'Why can't I shut up?'

Pushing back the longer bangs of hair, Rae breathed in and reached for the door handle. A quick peek over her shoulder at Thor and she took his calm face as a silent, 'You can do it'.

"I got this. I totally got this." She whispered twisting the knob and pushing.

Peering tentatively around the corner Rae was shocked, also relieved to see Vaun still there. He seemed far away, those pointed teeth gnawing on the inner meat of his lip. She gulped. Never saw him do that before...

"Um, Vaun," Rae timidly spoke up, keeping her form partially hidden behind the wall. He twitched violently as if someone had struck him. A trilling noise emitted from his chest when his eyes finally focused on her.

"Yes?"

He didn't sound angry. So far so good. She swallowed again. "You can sit down, you know."

The dhampir blinked like the thought just occurred to him. Nodding he crossed the distance between the door and couch, taking the spot he usually claimed. Vaun frowned at her lack of enthusiasm to join him.

"Have I done something?"

She could tell this display of hesitation had a negative effect on him but Rae felt too exposed to fix it. Instead, she shrugged and mumbled, "You seemed agitated over... you know..." Very subtlety hinting back at the spurred kiss.

Vaun gripped his knees, looking directly at the floorboards. "I am not..." He closed his eyes and sighed. Re-opening them, he asked while nodding his head at the empty place next to him, "Please?"

Rae skittishly walked over, arms folded across her chest making her appear even smaller. She sat but was careful to keep some distance between them. She inwardly scolded her mannerisms. Didn't she decide to stiffen her upper lip and act like a grown woman?

"I want to apologize for acting... so childishly." He seemed back to normal...ish?

There was a pregnant silence in the air for excruciating ticks of time until once more Vaun broke it. "I- please understand I am not upset at you over the... _kiss_." He strung out the ending letters with a low hiss. "It is just-"

"I get it." Rae rudely interrupted him. Her self doubts and anxiety at their bursting point. "I'm not super attractive. Hell, I'm not really pretty even. I'm sorr-"

The dhampir turned to interrupt her now. "You believe I was repulsed by what you did? By _you_?" His tone was a mixture of disbelief and anger...?

She eased off from the self torture. "Uh, yeah? Why else would you act how did?"

Vaun rattled, gaze flicking back and forth to her and the ground. "I was not. Believe me. It is just...you threw me off guard." His grip curled tighter. "I have never experienced that before. It was nice... I think."

Rae rose a confused brow. "Either you liked it or you didn't. There can't be an in-between."

Vaun growled at her slightly. "Forgive me for being- what did you call it?" He searched his memory for the term. "Ah yes, a noob?"

She couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped her lips. "Sure, sure. But seriously, you can't tell if you enjoyed it?"

His shoulders sagged. "I am not designed exactly how mortals are to particular circumstances. I know pain and dislike it." He counted off. "I know anger, thirst, and loneliness." Vaun's hand eclipsed her own. "But I do not know this... _want_."

Rae felt her whole body flush in response to his words. No one ever...

"I suppose I did like it then." He summarized. Vaun eased his iron grip on his legs. "May we... try again?"

Blush painted her entire face making it feel like it were boiling. Nervously, she licked her lips and shook her head yes. He slowly encircled his fingers around her hand. Rae rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as they leaned in. Her heart pounding so fiercely in her rib cage caused Vaun to pull away a bit.

"Are you all right? Your heart beat is out of control." He pointed out the obvious to Rae but was greatly concerned unlike her.

"It-it's nothing!" She sputtered.

"We don't have to if you're feeling unw-" Rae silenced him with a quick peck to his lips. Vaun sat there stunned for a second until he reached for her again and tried. His lips were not like a human man's. They more smooth and felt so more warmer. His movements were unsure and sloppy but started a flicker of heat in Rae. She closed her eyes.

She'd have to teach him then, she guessed. It rose a giggle in her breast, making her smile in their kiss. Vaun broke their contact.

"What? Why do you close your eyes?" He cocked his head to side in a cute tilt of curiosity.

"I just had a thought bubble, that's all." She reassured him.

He licked his lips. "Then why didn't you look at me?"

Rae explained, "It's just all in the moment kind of thing." She shrugged. She didn't have a lot of experience with this sort of stuff either hence her contact issues and lack of care to seek it out.

"You're decent for a noob." She grinned playfully.

"Then show me," He mumbled under his breath, gently sliding her back into him.

She timidly proceeded and they resumed their awkward exchange. Her lips moved slowly against his mostly unresponsive ones. He broke their joining in moments to nuzzle her face or move down to her neck and rub against her rapidly beating pulse. Rae was beginning to unfold at crossing into this territory, becoming more at ease.

Their breath mingled as the kisses were chaste but frequent. Rae picked up the pace a bit. Her fingers curled tightly into the fly of his jacket.

Why didn't this feel the same as before, he wondered. In retrospect it copied the past mostly minus the link. Ah... Vaun gently pushed her from him but kept her close, their foreheads touching. They needed to be connected?

He opened the bond and immediately tensed at the flood of emotion he received from Rae.

**Desire. Acceptance. Trust.**

His pupils dilated as now he understood what he had been tapping into and why humans craved it so. With a throaty snarl, he gripped Rae's hips and swung her over to have her body above his; legs propped on both sides of his waist, not fully straddling him. Vaun wove his fingers into her mane and shoved her mouth back down on his.

Before this Vaun believed his core temperature to be high already, yet now it felt as if Rae had set it ablaze. Their lips moved against the others in sync, growing more and more passionate. His hands left her hair and softly grasped her throat, padding it with his thumbs.

His stinger rattled, purring at the newly discovery activity and he wondered if Rae would be put off but she did not react poorly. Instead she pressed further into him, her curves melding to his build. Vaun growled as he felt them with each heave of breath she inhaled.

A scent he had picked up from her before started to reform, more powerful and potent than before, assaulted his sensitive nose. It filled his lungs and made him dizzy; drunk on the bond and her inviting smell. She was intoxicating.

Rae uttered a low whine as he departed from her mouth to run his lips across her throat. He purred, wondering what others sounds she could make. His hands were uncertain where to place themselves so he settled on clutching her thighs and bringing her even closer.

She craned her neck to give him more access to the flesh he wanted. Never had it ever felt this damn good, Rae thought shivering in delight with each peppered touch of his lips. For someone who said they were inexperienced sure got the hang of it in a jiffy.

Beads of sweat started to form on her brow and other areas. He was so fucking hot it was ridiculous! And not in that way either. It was like he was a furnace and Rae was the ice cube. She noticed how warm he felt when they just laid together but that combined with her wanton spark made it almost unbearable.

It might be better without so many layers between them.

Trembling finger tips pinched the black zipper at the column of his throat and pulled down until it was fully open. Vaun ceased in his attentions on her neck to look at her. She pushed the material aside and helped him out of it. His almost black eyes remained locked on her the entire process. She lowered onto his lap to run her palms over his stomach when Rae felt the lack of...erm hardness.

Rae instantly felt stupid and embarrassed. She rose off him, not able to look at him. Vaun hissed at the absence of her cooler body.

"What's wrong?" He asked, keeping her locked in her current place.

"It's dumb... I'm so dumb." She tried to remove herself completely but Vaun wouldn't relent.

"Why? I don't understand." His eyes were wide and confused at her swift change. He was one hundred percent sure she was enjoying herself. He took a breathe deeply and detected the scent had indeed waned, even if only slightly. "Have I done something wrong?"

Rae did see he looked truly upset at the idea but couldn't climb out the hole she already jumped into. Fuck, did he not really know?

Rae whispered, "I get it. I'm not gorgeous but at least..."

"At least _what_?" Vaun implored, perplexed by her chagrin.

"Ifyou'renotthatintothis, wecanquitandneverbringitupagain." Rae gushed out her words with a speed regular men may not have been able to compute for a minute but Vaun was not a mere human.

"I don't grasp what you mean." He was gladly returning the favor and quite enjoying it. What had he _not_ done?

Rae sheepishly motioned to his lap. "Um, my nerves aren't dead."

Horror spread over Vaun's face at her meaning. " _That_ \- it... I do not-" His was in a panic now and Rae felt a little bad. Did he have issues sometimes? Her brows furrowed.

Vaun was a technically a virgin, wasn't he? This didn't normally happen, did it?

Rae let out a yelp as Vaun had changed their positions, laying her back on the sofa and he above her. His face was still scrunched in alarm. "Please," He kissed her frowning lips once, twice, then three times. " _Please_ , do not worry about _that_."

"You are the most beautiful creature I've encountered." Vaun growled, nuzzling her face. He meant that more deeply than by her features. Her kindness, her little reserved traits, her genuine acceptance of him and everything he was, and even her fits of rage at a silly game; all made him see her in a light he hadn't viewed females in much at all.

Could she not feel all that? Could she not read him the way he read her? The bond must only work on a one way frequency. He would definitely remember to ask Quinlan of this later. But for now, Vaun would savor this.

She seemed to be pleased by that notion and allowed him to continue. He purred, tangling his digits in her thin waves of hair. An itching feeling of being watched crept upon on Vaun as his hands traveled down the valley of her body, grasping here and there. He could've sworn he picked up on a mental signature but Rae's quiet moans distracted him.

His fangs went to nibble on her ears, pay back for her torment on him, when he went still.

Standing on the metal stair case was a figure he hadn't looked upon in the flesh for many, many years. Astonished pale blue eyes were glued to their forms entangled on the couch. A bemused grin spread over their elongated lips.

_I'm so sorry, Vaun. I didn't expect to be interrupting you in such a... compromising position._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Quin, our awkward babies finally get over the freak out of touching each other and you gotta come along and block them. What do you all think about this tease?
> 
> You guys are awesome! Till next time! :3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has taken me awhile because of it's been tearing me up. I wanted to go more in detail about bonds and what not but have rekindled an idea that may upset some Q/DHL shippers. It is just one take I have on their relationship but still wanna sandwich them together, heehee....
> 
> Anyways, I am sorry for the wait! The next should be must faster. 
> 
> Also! A huge congrats to PaintedPagan for finishing their painting of Vaun! It looks amazing! :D
> 
> Enjoy!!

Vaun stared at Quinlan for countless seconds until Rae's voice shattered his frozen state.

"What's wrong?" Her question breathless.

His was mesmerized by the way her chest fell and rose with each intake of air. Her flushed cheeks. He grit his teeth, so very reluctant to leave her even for a second. But he could not ignore Quinlan. The younger Born snapped back to the situation literally standing out the window.

"A moment," He crawled off her and darted towards the window.

Quicker then Rae's eye sight could decipher, Vaun had pulled down the shade and joined Quinlan on the stairwell. He growled lowly at his mentor and his poor timing.

 _What do you want?_ He hissed.

 _I was summoned here by the whispers of husks and now I see why._ Quinlan informed, narrowing his piercing blue gaze.

Vaun frowned. _They sent you?_ Dread filled his stomach at the purpose behind his teacher's presence.

His mentor nodded but did not ease in the angry haze clouding his pale scared features. Quinlan was very sore at him and he understood why. His red eyes flicked back to the apartment back where Rae sat, unsuspecting.

 _Are they aware?_ He asked, truly afraid to hear the answer.

The elder Born shook his head. **She** _remains a secret. It is your increasing absences that have caught their attention. And they seek to know._

A held breath escaped Vaun in a reassured rattle. They didn't know! His masters were still clueless. Rae was still safe.

 _Do not presume they will remain so ignorant!_  Quinlan warned, picking up on his student's elation. _What would've happened if a Hunter was sent in my place? You are not daft, Vaun!_

 _You think I don't know that?_! He shouted inwardly. It had been heavy on his mind since beginning this with Rae. A constant threat hanging over them both. A foreboding itch to look over his shoulder each night he ventured to her.

Emotions rose in the still connected bond into Vaun. Disappointment, self loathing, a spark of anger. What was Rae's mind churning about now? Did she believe he left her unsatisfied?

Damn it Quinlan.

 _Yet you continue this._ Quinlan stated with disappointment lacing his tone. The Born wanted to be joyful for his younger brother-in-arms but the weight of the situation crushed it. Both understood the consequences should the little female inside be discovered.

 _She... I-_ Vaun choked on his response. What could he say? What was there to say?

It was not Quinlan who fought him on this, not really. There were rules in place. Rules he had broken. Why did he allow this to bloom into something he hadn't the slightest idea on to handle? It wasn't supposed to get this far! Vaun hadn't planned on actually falling in lov-

The young Born let out grieving noise. No! No! NO! He did not feel that strongly for her! It was forbidden and above all, his gaze locked onto Quinlan. He saw all the pain and sorrow that bagged his teacher.

It changed him. His Originals called it weakness. And Vaun had no room for it.

Or so said the statement drilled into his mind over and over.

 _Brother,_ Vaun muttered now, _what do I do?_

"Vaun?" Rae's voice was clear in the night air. He felt all distraught Quinlan caused without meaning to fade.

"Are you okay?" She was concerned. Vaun grinned despite the impending conversation that was about to occur. Of course she was. Beneath the timid and sometimes wrathful demeanor, Rae was quite caring.

Vaun went still and silent, moving his head ever so slightly towards the inside where his female awaited his return. Quinlan was minutely surprised as he felt his younger brother's mind abuzz. Was he communicating with her through a mental link? She could hear his voice?

Quinlan tilted his head to the side, mildly confused. Not every mortal could hear a Born's voice. Only an Ancient could speak within the confines of the mind without such barrier yet, here these two were...

This could be more than Quinlan thought originally. He had survived too long to believe in happens to be labeled as mere coincidence. Could Vaun have found...

The woman's uncertain voice reached their ears, "Um, yeah?"

 _Inside. Now!_ He barked at his former pupil. There much more to be done than Quinlan formerly assumed.

* * *

 

Rae re-positioned her clothes and swept her bangs away from her damp forehead. Vaun's attentions was not alone in rising heat in her body. Dude was seriously a walking and talking toaster. She waved her hand at her burning face in attempt to cool.

She frowned at noticing his extended departure from her and their... embrace. Maybe he needed a second to gather himself or something. Rae pouted when remembering the distinct lack of interest. Maybe he was talking himself out of it. After all, Vaun had lived so much longer than she, he was sure to have come across far more beautiful women then her.

Thor had roused from his slumber in her room and nails scratching at the door panel made her rise and let the dog stretch his legs. She'd return him once he had finished padding around and and his drink. If Vaun came back.

Huffing at the odd interruption, Rae folded her legs together tightly and tried to focus her mind else where besides the pulsing yet fading heat pooling between her thighs. If the Born returned and wished to end it, what would she say?

An upset growl caught her ear and made Rae lean over the sofa and call out, her timid nature resurfacing, "Vaun?"

No response but the sounds went deathly still as if she imagined it. But Rae knew better and she could recognize that noise easily now.

"Are you okay?" She tried again.

_I am all right, it's just... May I invite someone in?_

Huh? Invite? Who?? She swallowed nervously, fearing his actions at her work place had caught up them already. Should she just refuse and hope they went away? What if her mind was simply jumping to conclusions? It could be someone who was no threat.

Sighing, and mentally preparing herself, Rae agreed. "Um, yeah?"

The glass clicked with being upward and Vaun appeared from behind the drawn curtains. He shoved them aside and gave a wide birth to allow the stranger inside. Rae froze.

Even has the hooded figure dipped to get in, she could tell he was imposingly tall. Her feeling was confirmed once he was upright. Holy shit, he was taller than Vaun! Not by much, but enough for Rae to gape. He was similar to Vaun as well. Both shared the same skin tone, like aged paper or fresh clay. He was less lanky than Vaun and appeared more... human. His eyes were what captured Rae's studying gaze. They were a pale blue, almost like pure ice. Who was this guy?

"Rae, meet Quintus Sertorius. He is my mentor and brother of sorts." Vaun introduced.

"Please, call me Quinlan." He held a gloved hand over his sternum and humbly inclined his head.

"Nice to finally meet you. I'm Rae," She waved a little.

"You're the gladiator!" Rae gushed, ecstatic to meet the guy Vaun had brought up a few times before.

An amused grin cracked his blank expression. "I used to be, yes."

A moment of realization struck Rae then. If he was standing outside then... "Oh my God, you weren't watching us were you?!" She squawked embarrassed.

His icy eyes widened a fraction. "I assure you I was not spying on you two. I merely followed his scent here and discovered you... indisposed."

Vaun growled at him, still annoyed over the fact of Quinlan ruining what had been going on. Rae's face burned hotter at her accusation. The guy was nearly two thousand years old, he'd probably walked in on more than a handful of couples. Also, he didn't seem to be the peeping tom type.

"It's cool... I think." She muttered, fussing with her hair.

Thor had caught a whiff of the strange and new guest in his home and promptly investigated. Of course his mystery solving was more snarling and baring his white teeth at Quinlan from the safe corner of the kitchen. He had been more forward with Vaun. However, it didn't last long.

Rolling his eyes, obviously used to animal's fearful treatment, sent him a glare and mental command. _Silence!_

Rae didn't hear the volume of it but judging from Thor's droop and tucked tail, it had been stern.

Frowning at her guest, Rae asked, "It's really awesome to meet you but, why are you here? Vaun said you didn't want to visit this country unless it was important."

Quinlan sneered at Vaun for the release of semi personal information. He returned the gesture but walked over to Rae. Taking her small hand in his, he tugged her forward into his chest and inhaled her scent. She blushed. They were in front of someone, jeez!

"Regardless of my opinion about this land, I came to check on Vaun." Quinlan vaguely stated.

Rae pursed her lips. She had been told they kept track of each through the physic link they possessed. Why the sudden urge to do so in person?

"What made you do that?" She questioned.

Vaun curled his grip tighter. "Rae, don't prod."

"Curious little thing, aren't you?" He quipped.

She pressed again, not exactly thrilled with the half vampire's unclear answers. He dodged them equally as frustrating as the first and last. She huffed in annoyance as questions related to Vaun and Quinlan's reason behind the sprung visit ended in round abouts. Rae changed the subject.

"Soooo if you're half like Vaun, that means an Ancient turned your mom, right?"

Quinlan frowned at this turn. He glared subtly at the Born who encircled his arms around Rae's waist from behind. "How much have you revealed to her?"

"She only knows how the process is done." Vaun replied.

He shook his head at his student but nodded to Rae's question. "She was infected while I slumbered within her, yes."

"Okay. Vaun didn't know his mother. Did you know your's?"

Quinlan rose the hairless flesh of his brow. Rather inquisitive creature. "I knew her for a brief time. The one who spawned my half existence killed her."

Rae bowed her head, disheartened. "Sorry."

He waved the sorrow off. "Don't feel pity for me. She was no more than a rabid animal when I came into this world."

She fiddled with Vaun's sleeve with her worrying fingers. "She was still your mom. At one point she must've been looking forward to meet you."

"Rae, enough," Vaun spoke, squeezing her middle.

The older Born sighed at the bitter truth. He often did this to his mother. Labeling her as some mindless being who was acting purely on instinct. She could've abandoned him like two of the Born before him, yet she did not. Quinlan could still remember and feel the warped sense of love she held for him even after all these centuries.

"She is right but that matters little anymore. My mother is long since ash." He muttered.

She gave him a flat smile. "Sorry,"

"You keep saying that." Quinlan said, perplexed by the human's need to keep repeating it.

"She does that," Vaun pointed out.

"I see. If you wish to keep up this relentless onslaught of badgering, do switch to another topic." He offered, feeling her bubbling curiosity.

Hmm, he'd been around almost of millennia; she took a peek up at Vaun. His crimson gaze still fixed on his brother. Her face blushed deeply as she began this next question.

"Did you ever have a wif-" Vaun cut her off immediately with a hand clamped over her mouth.

 _Never bring that up._ He warned her.

Thankfully Quinlan was distracted by Thor inching closer to his heel. He shooed the animal away with a hiss. The taller Born shot him a weary glance before returning his focus to them. "I'm sorry, your animal is rather intrusive." He growled. "What was your question?"

A random bubble popped in her head to steer the apparent forbidden subject to converse with Quinlan about.

She fumbled out, "Did you ever meet Jesus?"

His face dead panned. "Why must you humans always ask me this??"

* * *

 Rae had fallen asleep on Vaun's lap amidst the conversation. A habit she seemed to be forming. He didn't mind the contact, in fact, he had grown accustomed to it. The Born raked through her strands of brown hair with his claws. He wished to keep her undisturbed while his turn to converse with Quinlan began.

"And here I hurried for nothing." Quinlan mused.

"What?"

"The Ancient told me you were acting strangely. I came as quickly as possible. Much to my delighted surprise, you've just been engaged."

Vaun pursed his lips. "I am not _marrying_ her."

Quinlan chuckled. "That's not what I implied, but refuse what you will."

The Roman Born became more animated and cheeky in the presence of old friends. But all his attitude did was frustrate Vaun.

He became sullen now. "Tell me Quinlan, what should I do?"

Blue eyes stared at Vaun for a handful of passing ticks until Quinlan retorted with a question of his own. "It is up entirely to you. Do you love her, Vaun?"

_Love._

His eyes drifted downward at the slumbering mortal woman in his hold. He felt many things for her, some of which he hadn't a name for yet. Vaun understood he identified her as his but it felt deeper than that, more meaningful. Instead of voicing these discoveries, he relayed them to Quinlan.

The elder Born rattled a sigh, closing his eyes as the emotional memories and experiences hit him one by one. Vaun sat unmoving at the anxiety of what his mentor's answer could be. But, he asked for guidance and he would receive it.

An eternity felt to pass until Quinlan shifted, clasping his gloved hands together. He was quiet for a moment. His gaze far off. "What you feel is what I once did with... _her_."

Tasa. The mortal who Quinlan purchased in hopes of reaching of his more human side. He knew of her, but little about her. Quinlan kept Tasa and her child and those two years they spent with him, tucked deeply in his old heart.

Imagining Rae at his side in the same manner made his own heart pinch.

It made him grin slightly. "I have never even began to imagine I could have that you once did."

So, Vaun stopped messing with Rae's hair, that's what this was called. The reactions she caused in him made a tad more sense now. His pulse skipping a note. The desire to have her sole attention. His stomach tightening when she laughed. God, he'd strive to ensure her smile endured. 

"This grew under more normal circumstances." Quinlan said, "You didn't have to buy her, save her from a far worse fate. She learned without looming fear of death over her."

This statement caused Quinlan to appear more sad and old than usual. He heard the stories that mortal woman feared him in the beginning, scorned him. Yet with much patience and nourishing, love did eventually bloom. And it those hard earned roots had been viciously plucked prematurely.

"You know the consequences of this, Vaun." He grumbled.

He shook his head. "Yes. The Ancients won't allow-"

"I care little to nothing for their decrees." Quinlan spat. "I mean you will out live her. Rae's existence is so very brief, a mere blink to us. Her life force, her love for you, is powerful but fleeting."

Vaun knew this as well. He mind reminded himself daily of her life ticking away. It nagged at him with each new rise of the sun. Even if age did not claim her body and soul, there are many elements on this planet that could just as easily. He sullenly agreed. Her eventual death would mar him probably until the end of his unnatural life span.

Vaun clutched her more tightly. "Her birthday is soon," He mumbled, his stinger rattled behind his voice.

"Witnessing you both now," Quinlan started. "There is something else I want to discuss with you."

Vaun narrowed his eyes. "What?"

He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knee caps. "You told me she can hear you."

"Not every mortal has that ability to hear our voices. Is she able to speak to you in the same way?" He asked.

"Not every time, it's very rare truthfully." His turned his head. Why did this matter? Every human was different and who knows, there could be others who could do this. "What does that mean for her?"

"I'm not sure. It could have something to do with your genetic make-up favoring _strigoi_ or it could be a mere coincidence."

Vaun churred. "You don't believe in such."

Quinlan grinned. "Correct. I do not."

"As you know, there is not much on our kind. The Lumen has been scarce and lost." Quinlan began. "What I have discovered in scattered pieces of the Born is almost useless. There has been a constant yet brief mention of bonds."

Vaun had a firm grasp of understanding on this. He was aware of the pull to a Dear One in his Hunters, to their Original and even to fellow Born.

"We both know and experience this. However, Rae being able to answer you is more astounding to me as," Quinlan really did not want divulge this but it needed to be said. "Tasa never heard my call during our years together."

This enlightenment was rather shocking. His beloved could not reply to his words?

"I don't understand." He shook his head, unable to fully process this information. "She was..."

Tasa had been many things to his older kin: brave, stubborn, resilient, and above all, loving. How could someone who was so important and meaningful to Quinlan not able to answer his call?

"All that's left her is the vengeance I carry. That is all that matters now." Quinlan did not speak her name again. "My point is, even with one I held so close to me did not show this level of... compatibility, lack of a better term." He mumbled.

Quinlan and Tasa's bond had been created under forced circumstances. He had purchased her with the intent to appease his human half; to marry her in order to save her life, to care for as a man would. The years were taxing but the seeds that came had been earned.

Yet, that's all there was. He loved her as much as he knew how. But, his love was not entirely returned. She gave him much in their time together; a companion, fierce loyalty, and understanding. Tasa loved him for his compassion and honorable deeds to her and her child. But Quinlan never did fully possess her heart.

"Has this always been possible or just recently?" Quinlan fished.

Vaun told him Rae had the ability to hear his voice the first night they met. How easy it was to establish communication with her. Over the course these past months, the two way road they shared where he even hear her voice had faded in and out.

Admitting he felt sensations that should be lost to him due to not possessing the proper chemical properties. Vaun had felt want through her.

Quinlan blinked rapidly. "Wait... you say she makes you feel arousal as well?"

He nodded.

"I said before, the scattered texts had a common subject. It was more in depth than what you and I share currently, what I used to cherish with her. Although, this is much more evolved."

"You tried to reject this union, for better or worse, but failed." Quinlan rubbed his lips in thought. "Meaning that which has taken place is now irreversible, it is set. Perhaps some damage has been inflicted?"

Vaun sat there speechless with Rae shuffling her position on his thigh. Had he unknowingly done something to them? Could it be fixed?

"I sense the swarming of concern in you, Vaun." Quinlan rumbled. "It is nothing you should worry yourself over. In attempts to distance yourself has done some damage but nonetheless, you two have bonded."

The young Born stilled. They have _what?_

"I-I don't-" He panicked. "I can't give her a normal life, what she deserves!I'll ruin her!" This was what he feared. He had allowed himself to fall into this pit of emotion that nearly crippled his brother and it would crumble any dreams or goals Rae wanted to accomplish. She would be torn from him if his Original found out.

Rae twitched at Vaun's high tone. He calmed himself. "There are so many things I cannot give her, brother."

Quinlan knew of Vaun's physical handicap but in reality both shared the end result: neither could spawn children of _strigoi_ or blood. The barriers that hindered Vaun in giving her pleasure was easily taken down with practice. But yes, there a few other things they could never have.

"There may be limitations Vaun, but do not let them hinder you. Sacrifices are a part of life. What you do with those will shape the outcome."

"But..."

Quinlan had risen and soundlessly walked over to him. "She cares a great deal for you, Vaun. Do not waste this rare opportunity. Figure out those hurdles when they come. For now," His blue eyes looked at Rae. "be grateful and cherish what you have been gifted."

He had squandered those precious two years with his own beloved. And he paid dearly for it. Quinlan hoped Vaun would not suffer the same. "I must get going. I'll tell the Old Ones a fib they'll believe. Don't worry," He pat him on the shoulder before heading to the fire escape.

Thor had curled beneath the window and startled when Quinlan came within two feet of him. The dog hurriedly moved out his path with a glare from the tall Born. Shaking his head at the animal's dismay, Quinlan re-opened the window and bowed to exit.

He paused in the slight bend of his spine. Turning back to Vaun, he gave the younger dhampir a warning.

 _Brother,_ Red eyes locked with blue. _Keep her close. I can't name this but, I feel something sinister stirring._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I run?


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know this is short but bare with me. The coming chapters will be longer. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Winter had fallen and snow painted the streets stark white. The New Year had ushered and welcomed. Vaun continued to be with Rae after Quinlan's visit during Halloween. Rules be damned. Once the fellow Born helped him understand and provided much relief to Vaun, he decided to deal with bumps in the road when they came.

Right now, the Hunter felt very content sitting in the apartment he had come to call his other home waiting on Rae to return from her work. She was comfortable with him being inside without her and enjoyed being greeted. While Thor had kept her company during her first stage of living here, Vaun more than happily filled the missing piece.

Rae had taught him how to work the technical devices in her home and it gave him some distraction as he waited for her. The dog was kept barred in her room. Both wished to have less contact as possible with each other. The thing reeked to Vaun and the animal was still not fond of his scent either.

Currently a show streamed on the TV but could not keep his attention and the game he had learned to maneuver had grown stale. Vaun was growing anxious. It had been building throughout the week. Quinlan's foreboding words when he departed in the Fall bled into Vaun.

Oddly enough, his own Masters were waking just slightly more with each rising day. This was uncommon behavior for the Old Ones. They stayed in their nexus of living and dreaming mostly until the blood hunger stirred. Then Vaun or a Hunter would merely fetch the meal, burn the remains and be done. Yet there sections of the day the American Ancients were awake.

It only caused his brother's parting words to sink their claws deeper in his worry. The Seventh brother, the youngest of them all, had gone completely rogue for piles of centuries now. Vaun's masters could not feel their sibling no matter how they concentrated, much to Quinlan's frustration.

His creator always told Vaun to not trust its younger brother. It was the most lost and vicious out their small bunch. It taught him they were put here to lead mankind, to herd them in the direction meant for the race in whole. But the younger, the Seventh who has the gall to proclaim itself _The Master_.

The gears in the lock clicked and turned. His ears perked. Rae had arrived. Vaun got up a in blur of black and scooped the small human woman into his arms. She gasped as usual from the sudden contact but relaxed when he buried his nose into her locks and inhaled her scent with greed.

"Hey, chill with the sniffing!" She playfully complained. "I gotta wash it!"

He didn't care the strong scent of cooked foods took over the first layer of her own scent. He could still catch her natural smell beneath it all, causing him to purr loudly. She squirmed in his grasp, the tips of her sneakers skimming the floor. Relenting with a churr, Vaun set her down.

"Lemme get clean. Be patient." Rae playfully jabbed him in the ribs then retreated.

"I have been very patient, thank you." He quipped, crossing his arms.

Rae chucked off her shoes onto the entry way corner and placed her items on the rack. Her frame shivered once the coat was removed. "I thought vampires had endless patience."

"Quinlan excels in that department, not I." Vaun rattled settling back in his spot diffused.

"Five minutes dude, relax." Rae spoke over her shoulder as she headed into her room.

He knew it wouldn't be that simple. She had gotten off at ten-thirty tonight and would likely fall asleep soon. Vaun had been perfectly patient for her arrival and wanted her attention. And he wanted it now.

Disobeying, Vaun rose up and silently entered Rae's bedroom. He had been in here a few times before and each caused him to shiver slightly at the heavy presence of her scent within the confined air. It penetrated his senses so much that seemed to form on his tongue. The Born growled lowly at the taste and saw Rae standing in front of her small desk, her neck bare as she brushed her hair.

Her blood beat called to him, but not how it normally would; the enticement to hunt was not urged. It sparked other instincts in him, ones Rae invoked that Vaun believed he did not possess. Actions he would find senseless, confusing, and just purely uninterested.

For instance, Vaun was behind Rae in a second and arms wrapped around her middle, he would find this touch strange; pressing his thin lips against her startled pulse, not feeding merely touching. She flinched in his hold and blushed terribly. He purred as her scent rose with the blood.

"You take far too long." He murmured over her skin.

"Excuse me for not wanting to look like a bird's nest!" Rae exclaimed but relaxed in his frame.

"You do not resemble such a thing." Vaun told her, nuzzling the back of her head. Despite the layer of grease and human foods, he still greedily inhaled her true smell; which reminded him of something sweet and silky but couldn't name it. He continued to rub her skull. The Born was quite addicted to it.

"You're making it worse," She mumbled, smacking his forearms gently.

He eyed in her the reflective surface that did not warp his profile. "Then let me fix it."

In a human blink, Rae was thrown across the room and landed on her bed. She sat there dazed for a second until Vaun was at Rae's side and moving her to sit up. He placed himself behind and pulled her onto his lap. She squeaked at the sudden positioning but stilled once she felt his long fingers comb through her hair.

Vaun enjoyed playing with that he did not have once he grew at ease enough to shed his gloves. It felt soft around his digits and it soothed Rae. He had discovered this little trick when she had an awful headache one evening. Vaun understood those as when the Old Ones sent their mental commands too loudly, his mind would ache and sometimes his ears would bleed because of it.

The dhampir sought to comfort her in any way and found massaging the scalp helped greatly. It also did other things as well much to her embarrassment. If he drug the tips of his claws just so...

She shuddered as his nails skimmed over the flesh gently. He grinned as Rae practically melted into him. She often joked about him resembling a cat due to his purring but the tables had been turned with this.

Rae made little noises of contentment and appreciation at his gesture. Vaun gently tugged on her mane and tilt her head back to graze his lips over her own. She rose up some and rubbed his nose. "You're a cheater."

"I would never," He purred, nuzzling her face.

He proceeded to ask about how her shift went and she just shrugged stating it was the usual. She described a few minor incidents but other than that, it was pretty decent day. Vaun was glad. He hated when her work became more tedious than it should be. Her place fed the humans, they should be more grateful.

Those men hadn't returned either causing Vaun's ego to swell a little more. He had scared them sufficiently enough they should never trouble Rae or another female like that again. He still often fed the idea to chase them down. She'd never know but keeping it secret from her made Vaun feel guilty.

"Anything happen today?" She asked in return.

"Mmm," He moved his fingers from the bottom of her skull to the side of her face, tracing the bone's outline. "Nothing worth mentioning..." Oh yes, that did arrive earlier. "Ah, your package was in the large metal box downstairs like you said."

Rae informed him the other night she was expecting something special in the mail and asked if he would retrieve it. That was no issue as he was able to run fast enough, unlock the mail box and return before anyone saw. A small brown rectangular shape that smelled of paper, glue, and ink was inside.

"A moment," Vaun was gone in a flash. He picked the item off the counter and came back with the tiny parcel. It was dense for something so small. If his nose was correct, the contents were books.

She had received a generous sum for a tip last week and treated herself to new reading material. Vaun offered to pay for it but was only given a slight miffed at the idea. Rae insisted on buying it herself. He'd forgotten how self reliant women had become in this era.

The box was taken with glee and she eagerly tried to open it. Frowning at the heavily tapped box, she glanced up at him. "I know you have a knife in there somewhere."

The Born smiled. He did indeed have many on his person. Whisking a more practical one from his trouser pocket, Vaun handed it over.

She thanked him and slid the sharp edge through the seals. Returning the knife, Rae pulled the apart and reached in. She grinned happily as she looked at each one being very particular about the covers and pages. If one had gotten torn or bent, Rae would return it without second thought. He chuckled at the odd quirk thinking it was cute.

A total of five hardback titles now lay on the covers. Vaun skimmed over each but did not find any interesting or he recognized. She had said something about replacing some that been lost or ripped during her move here. He sat beside her as she stacked them all together.

"They arrived in good shape." She breathed with relief. Rae told him getting to a book store to pick out her own was difficult. She scooted away some, keeping the box out of his reach. He churred at her actions.

A pleased grin spread on her little face. "I got you something."

Vaun blinked. "What? Why?"

"'Cause I like you and I like giving presents." She stated, grabbing the item trying not to show him before she presented it.

"Rae, really, you did not have-" He began to argue until he noticed the writing across it.

"I think this might help you with finding that certain-" Rae was cut off by Vaun hurriedly kissing her and snatching the book.

" _Mine_." He growled, cracking it open and flipping to find the page that informed him to obtain the item he had been going insane trying to locate.

Vaun turned his back on her and began to read when he found what he was looking for. Rae beamed at her success and leaned against his back for support as she grabbed her own book. They stayed like that, each engrossed in their reading but still enjoying the company the other gave. Until Vaun discovered what he had been searching for.

"That's where you get it?!" 

* * *

 

It had grown quiet after Rae had drifted off to slumber in his embrace. The city had lulled to it's usual volume of noise adding Thor's snoring at the foot of the bed rumbled in the dark space. Vaun stared at the back of her head while both slept on unaware of his building regret.

Vaun pondered if he had born a true mortal, in this line of time, would he be here currently sharing a bed with this creature? The Born dared to imagine so.

A normal life, a human life, an existence without having to go back and forth. A living without being parted from her, from this. Where he could see her, be with her every day and night.

He would exchange his four hundred years on this earth for just one finite life span with her.

But her death weighed heavy on him. Vaun had seen how taxing Tasa's demise was on Quinlan. Would he fare any better? Could he learn to live with that unwavering fact that one day Rae would no longer walk this world?

Such discerning thoughts could be meditated on later. The Born would deal with this over time. After all, Rae was mostly healthy and nothing would befall her if he could help it. Vaun would do anything to achieve her, this mortal who stole him in all ways possible, safety.

**_Born_ **

He reached over and pressed the button on her cell phone sitting on the pillow beside her. His red eyes were greeted with the blaring lighted numbers, _1:05 A.M_. Vaun thought he felt them stir earlier. He had to go.

With this abnormality forming the void that connected the Ancients, their minions and even the Born, Vaun was not sure if he would be able to return in a decent time frame; if she would even welcome him back after this period of no communication. But had Vaun not promised himself that he would protect her, no matter the cost?

If his suspicions of Quinlan's sire emerging was true then, no argument could be brooked. This had to happen in order for her to be safe. Vaun forced himself to separate from her cooler body. The dog startled awake but did not care that he was leaving and settled his head back down.

Shoving all the human emotions deep within him; fear, sorrow, and love, Vaun resolved himself to depart. He dipped over her and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He imprinted her form to his mind and committed her scent to his memory, just in case.

Vaun quickly pressed a final kiss to her temple. "I will keep you safe. I fucking swear."

He dispatched from her and took a last glance. Rae had rolled over and sought out his heat, snuggling deeper where he had lain. The image nearly reeled Vaun back, almost tempted him to abandon the call of his masters and stay with this female he so loath to let go; even it were for only a short time to ensure her well-being.

Clenching his teeth, Vaun turned his back and exited her room. The door shut with a deafening click. He soundlessly gathered his belongings and went outside.

The hood went over his head and replied to the Ancients' heed, _I will be there shortly, my lords._

Jumping off the railing and down to the city below, Vaun darted his compound to begin his mission. The dhampir did not look over his shoulder again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, I skipped a few more fluffy moments but I felt the need to move on in to the main story line. I am excited. o3o Never fear though! I may have something planned with a friend that will fill in those blanks. ;3
> 
> Tomorrow 'The Legend of Zelda' will devour my conscious and I will be taking a break for this game I have looked forward to for months. I will return, not to worry! XD
> 
> Thank you for all the kind comments!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as long as I planned but it wouldn't come out just the way I had it in my brain. My attention is having a hard time being altered from 'Breath of the Wild'. But thanks for all your lovely comments! 
> 
> I can't remember all the details of episode 1 and am too lazy to go back and watch it sooooo, I winged it. :P
> 
> It begins!

February had just begun in it's short slot within the year. Meaning work did not slow down in the tiniest bit. Oh no! Rae ducked and weaved past her fellow waiters, brow knit in concentration not to bump anyone and bottom lip tucked in frustration.

The diner was packed and obnoxiously loud. The noise chewed on Rae's nerves more so than usual and it effected her tips ever so slightly thanks to seemingly permanent frown. Her sullen mood caused by the recent disappearance of Vaun. She hadn't seen him in two weeks.

Her brows pinched with worried anger as she tossed the plastic plates in the to-be-washed bin. The anger that brewed along the fretting was more aimed at herself than Vaun. Anger at herself for very possibly endangering his life. Rae didn't really know the meaning behind Vaun and Quinlan's cryptic warnings about their involvement with one another, but they never sounded good.

Also, her own self doubt bubbled beneath the surface of this. Had she been disappointing? They had not really tried much after being interrupted by his older brother of sorts those months ago. Rae just shrugged it off as she wasn't entirely sure how to proceed.

But for fuck's sake the least he could manage to do was a throw her a clue!

She slapped the dinner ware down more harshly than she realized. The sound rattling the stand on wheels and cracking the busy air. Brittany threw her a weirded out glance while brushing by with her order. Rae did not have it in her to put up with her co worker's nosy self today.

Growling under her breath, Rae snatched up a wash rag from the bucket and returned the look that spoke volumes of, 'Fuck off!'

The waitress frowned and sauntered off towards her full table without a vocal retort. Rae went to finish her own task. The cloth landed on the dirty surface with a loud slap.

'Chill out! Chill out!' She repeated over and over in her frazzled mind.

It may not even been her fault! Sorry excuse but the only one her mind decided to go with. Rae pursed her lips in thought. Vaun did vaguely mention he lacked in that area. Perhaps he was upset with himself? She couldn't image why. His hands felt pretty experienced...

The short woman crossed her thins arms while she waited for her table's food and sighed. It didn't make any damn sense, shutting her eyes and rubbing her temple. It wasn't he lacked the proper tool to-

Brown eyes flew wide open as a theory dawned. Vaun mentioned before -a long time ago now- that _strigoi_ , half of what his genetic map consisted of, were a gender-less creature. That answered the awkward realization of what happened on Halloween. Did that mean...?

"Hey turn that up!" A darker skin man shouted, pointing a finger at the TV screen screwed into the corner wall.

Henry obliged and aimed the remote at the television. Everyone had paused in their conversations, meals, and work to stare at the plane that took up the picture. The headline ran across the screen, _200 Hundred Dead on Berlin Flight Regis 753_.

Rae rose a brow. What the actual hell? All those on board were pronounced dead? How was that possible?!

A few people gasped and launched themselves out the door, obviously connected to someone who died on the aircraft. One of her fellow employees darted to the back to get their cellphone and call their loved ones.

Rae stood motionless at her deserted table. Dread laced her spine. The plane looked so off, so wrong harboring two hundred dead souls. It was like something out of a horror movie. Except this wasn't some script, it was reality and it was actually happening.

The news reporter informed was there was no further information to be released until the CDC arrived on scene within the hour. Anchors came on next spinning their own opinions and speculations of what went down inside the plane ranging from chemical warfare to the government having an hand in it.

The diner slowly returned to its normal chatter and put the report in the back of their minds, reassured their in faith that the government had a firm grip on the situation.

Rae flinched back to doing her own chores. It was unnerving for sure to have that many innocent people claimed by whatever unknown force. The idea of it being anything other than an accident of nature was heart breaking. But that's how the world spun sadly.

Her stomach churned as she took a peek at the harbinger again. There was something definitely off about it. More than what the channel could ever tell them.

* * *

**Morning**

Rae sat on her couch with her knees tucked and arm supporting her head. She listened as the man on the TV, Dr. Ephraim Goodweather head of his team at the CDC, spoke on the mysterious epidemic aboard the plane. The crowd huddled together in mass of flashing cameras, phones and concerned family members, surrounding the poor man as he informed the public of their theories. You could tell the guy had been just thrown to the wolves with presenting this statement.

The guy tossed aside whatever it was that had been meant to calm those awaiting the verdict and revealed the truth of the matter: they had no idea what had claimed all those innocent souls. People erupted in an uproar. The press went mad with unrelenting questions. The relatives hollered demands and obscurities at the retreating man.

She switched the television off. That was enough madness for today, she thought rising from the couch to patter into the kitchen. The streets of New York were insane on a regular basis on now with another plane related threat, the paranoia would be staggering. It was good thing Rae had the next few days off. No plans were made as she formed a new habit of waiting for Vaun to ever show up.

Sad as it was, she was still waiting for him to appear out of thin air. It was absolutely pathetic Rae ate up her evenings wishing the dhampir would return or at the very least give her a glimpse of promise that everything was all right.

This was yet another reason behind her refusal to begin relationships. Besides her unattraction to someone unless emotionally invested, the constant wringing of her stomach made her nearly sick. It always felt as if a knife were piercing her guts and twisting deeper and deeper.

It just drained her. And with the matter of risking Vaun's life for this was unimaginable. Sure, they had something but was she really worth poking the proverbial bear?

Rae didn't believe she was worth much. She never did. She was lacking in most areas where other women around her excelled in. Looks were average at best. She had no talent in crafting departments, computer skills, or even natural talents as singing or acting. Rae felt like a minuscule dot on a wide ranged map of more well rounded circles, floating aimlessly on. Why bother to continue with such a trivial person?

Her cell phone rang out with the _Undertale_ tune thusly knocking Rae out her depressing daze. She padded over to her bag by the couch and picked up the device. It was work.

She answered the call, "What's up Henry?"

"Rae, I'm so sorry to bother you on your day off but Timber's called out for pickin' up a cold and I don't think Naomi is doing so well either." He informed. "Could you come in today to fill for Timber and relieve her?"

She didn't want to come in but if Naomi was that bad off and Henry really needed the help, Rae couldn't turn him down. "Sure, when do you need me?"

Henry told the time and it gave her enough to prepare for the shift. She slid the conversation off and rushed to her room. Rae showered, threw on a clean uniform, and grabbed her bag. Thor was glued to the window, staring down at the ally. His hackles raised, the hair ruffling from his neck all the way down his tailbone.

Hope that it may be Vaun, Rae went swiftly to the window only to be disappointed. It was empty save for a possibly drunken man stumbling his way through it. Her shoulders drooped and she went to walk away when Thor hopped to the sill and braced his two front paws on it then began to bark madly. Rae grabbed him by the collar, trying to pry him off but the dog would not relent.

Peering over Thor she noticed the man was rather pale, almost like Vaun's skin tone. The man clutched his head as he fumbled to the left, leaning against the wall. Was he sick? Dogs had the acute ability to pick up things like that.

Finally the stranger raised his gaze to look at the animal who bark so loudly at him. You could barely make someone out fully in detail at this height but what Rae did manage to notice was the bright red eyes peering up at them. Shock caused her to reel back, dragging Thor as she went. She stood there wide eyed and mouth slightly agape, the hound pulling in her white knuckled grip.

What the hell was that?! Fear locked Rae's joints from moving to double check on what her sight processed into her brain.

**Crimson eyes. Pasty skin.**

Her eyes grew wide. Fingers curling to grip the front of her shirt. There's no way! He had to be just hung over or something! That explained the reddened eyes and stumbling, right? People had drinks or whatever was their choice even this early. Hell, some couldn't function without it. But Rae swallowed nervously.

It had been mentioned a while ago now. Vaun told her once of an outbreak that occurred hundreds of years past. It happened when this land was new and uncultivated. Feeding had spiraled quickly out of control and resulted in an entire settlement being devoured. He said it was known in our history as _'The Lost Colony'_.

That would better explain Vaun's vanishing act. Ice crept along her spine at connecting the dots. He always described the Strain as an infection that spread like fire when left unchecked. Could something have gone wrong with his kind then? Her gaze ticked back to the black screen. Regis 753's haunting picture still branded on the front of her mind. Why didn't this feel so simple as that?

Rounding up what was left of her dwindling courage, Rae glanced out once more. Thor slammed his weight on the window. She inhaled a stuttering breath. The peculiar man was gone.

_Shit._

Double checking on her lock and slapping the curtains together in act of defying what she just witnessed, Rae fumbled about her apartment to keep distracted until it was time for work. Hell, she may just get ready and go now! For one who enjoyed solidarity suddenly found it unnerving.

Deciding that was best she took a shower and threw on her uniform. She closed Thor up in her room with his dishes and reassured herself on the security of her home. Paranoia was creeping up on her and Rae tried her damnedest not to let it control her. Thrusting her black non-slick shoes on, she snagged her bag and departed for the diner.

 _Strigoi_ or not, Rae still had bills to pay.

* * *

 

Evening was approaching quickly as darkness spread over the sky of New York. Rae had just darted through the door, startling Henry. He blinked in surprise at her early arrival.

"You have another hour until you have to be here, kiddo." He said, pausing in his clearing of the bar.

"Yeah... well, I thought I'd release Naomi earlier." She huffed out, not really wishing to disclose her real reason for getting her ahead of time nor that she practically dashed at quickly as possible here.

"That's real thoughtful of ya, Rae." Henry grinned without picking on up on her white lie.

She gave a jittery smile in return and hurried to the back. Rae noticed the sickly waitress in Henry's office slouched over and lowly groaning. Good God, he didn't say she was that bad! Normally she came in hell or high water. Seeing her bent over and in pain was shocking.

Rae walked over quietly after putting away her things. She laid on a gentle hand on Naomi's shoulder, trying not to scare her. "Hey, Naomi, I'm here. Why don't you go home and rest?" She murmured.

The older woman rose up from her crumbled position. Her bones making this awful cracking noise as she did. Rae cringed at the popping joints. Naomi was up in her years but never had Rae heard her bones creak like this before.

"Thank...you, dear. I haven't feeling well since this last night." She rasped, careful getting to her feet.

Rae reached out to help steady her until their eyes met contact. She recoiled her outstretched arm from Naomi. Blotchy reddish eyes stared at her in concerned confusion.

"What's the matter?" Her voice sounded so inflamed and scratchy.

She gulped taking in Naomi's ashen profile. "N-Nothing..."

This close to the old woman Rae swore she seen move beneath her skin. _Don't be ridiculous._

Refusing the urge to keep a steadying palm on Naomi, she instead walked by her side to the curb. She thanked Rae for her aide and insisted she needn't stay with her until the bus arrived. Inwardly grateful for that, Rae flashed a weary smile and returned to the diner floor.

'Keep calm,' She chanted to herself, attempting to chill her trembling fingers while she tied the waist apron. 'You're just seeing things.'

Rae tucked her pencil and pad in the right pocket. 'It's a coincidence. Maybe there's some sort of bug going around.' She twirled her hair into a tight ponytail.

'That's right. Just the flu or something, nothing to be afraid of.' A wave of reassurance crashed over Rae worried state and soothed her frazzled nerves.

It was just her emotions were ragged because of Vaun, that's all. This was all just a simple easy to contract sickness and everything would go back to normal. She inhaled a deep breath and walked out into the dining room. All would settle down once this plane controversy was handled.

* * *

 _"What do you mean they're_ gone?!" Eph hissed into the cell, turning away from his boy and soon-to-be ex wife.

"It's exactly how it sounds, Eph!" Nora bit back through the line. Her brown eyes stared at the empty black bags in the morgue.

The morgue was devoid of bodies, including the cornier. Each and every single body of passengers declared deceased were missing. Government cover up was the first that jumped to her mind yet the old man's words of vile caution lingered on the forefront.

**Burn the bodies! Burn them before _he_ takes them! **

Her brow knit. He who? Was the professor warning her of some thief? Nora's spine tingled in a foreboding sensation as her worried gaze took in the spilled blood on the tile floor.

 _"Nora? Nora, are you still there?"_ Ephraim's angered voice barked in her ear.

"Y-Yeah, I'll meet you at the hospital." She said, hanging up the mobile.

A slight movement on the ground caught her sharp eye. Nora frowned, brushing her wavy hair behind over her shoulder as she knelt. Narrowing her vision, the doctor saw a worm like creature weakly squirming in a droplet of white substance.

She didn't break sight with the strange organism while she reached for an instrument, instinct screamed at Nora not to turn a blind eye to it. Grasping on to Rampley forceps, the doctor carefully extracted the worm from the unknown thick fluid. It barely moved in her pinch but still had some life left to curl its lower half.

This resembled the ones she and Eph discovered on the flight! She furrowed her brow. How did they get here? Unless...

Nora rose from her bent knees. Were these inside the bodies? Is this organism what killed the passengers? Nora turned to enclose the worm in a container when she accidentally bumped the scales.

She jumped in fright at the noise with the haunting air engulfing the basement. She breathed deeply through her nose and shook her head. 'Watch where you're going, _niña tonta.'_

A passing glance was cast to the contents of the weighing scale. Disbelief flashed over her warm features. She did a double take at the contents within the weighing scale. Nora had been in the field for years, she had seen many gruesome images forever seared on her brain. So for vomit to rise to the back of her throat was no easy feat.

She dropped the specimen and covered her mouth with a shaking palm. An organ rested in the pan but not an ordinary piece of flesh and tissue. What resembled a heart in construction yet mutated lay covered in the white goo and crawled with worms.

What in God's name was this?!

* * *

The rest of the day flew by much to Rae's delight. Her fretting spell had been broken and she took on the bustling customers and their orders with ease. She had been quiet content throughout the shift and the sun was slowly sinking to a close.

Her mind automatically mused if Vaun would be waiting for her but Rae shut it down. He was obviously not coming back and she was fine with that. She bit the inside of her cheek. Right?

Twilight rolled above and the crowd lessened. She was keeping her attention on task with rinsing the dishes when two men walked in. One was larger than his companion both in width and height but held a friendly air about him. The shorter was more tense and guarded. He removed the worn fedora to reveal his close shaven head.

Rae saw his features without a hindrance and thought for a flickering second, he was pretty cute. She chided herself under her breath and went out to greet them.

"Welcome to Henry's, just two?" She asked.

The bigger man grinned and nodded. "We're celebratin' my _amigo's_ freedom."

The _amigo_ just huffed and didn't look at their directly. His nearly black eyes just kept glued to everywhere else but them.

"Don't mind him, he's just shy." The kind guy chuckled.

"No worries, I'm the same." Rae grinned and show them to a booth tucked into the restaurant's corner that gave you a view of main street. They sat in the booth and ordered their dinner. Rae wrote it down quickly and went to fetch their _Coca Colas_.

It would take about ten minutes for their tray to be ready. She didn't listen in on the conversation as she placed the glasses on the table but the words were heavy with some sort of defeat or anger. Who knows what the younger guy had gotten free of exactly. She didn't pry and went back to washing the plates, keeping count of passing minutes in her head.

The ding of the bell rung Rae from her chores and she went to retrieve the plates. She just arrived at their table when a loud thud smacked against the window. Rae skipped beat and nearly tripped. The larger man flinched, ready to catch her if necessary but the bald headed boy glared at the source of the bang.

A towering man stood outside the diner with his stark white hand pressed heavily to the glass. He twitched and swayed while keeping his palm in place. His patches of blond hair and huffs of breath were not the most unusual about the random guy. Rae gasped when she noticed the pale man was completely without clothes!

"Hey, _amigo, oído hablar de los pantalones_?" The big guy asked in his native language, shaking his head at the situation.

"Um, I should probably call the cops." Rae suggested, setting down their food.

The smaller framed gentlemen had yet to do much but scowl. Before Rae could turn around for the phone, the weirdo took off towards the large mass of people crossing the way. She sighed and looked to the greasy tile. People had no shame anymore...

"Yo, what the fuck?" Finally the shaven boy peeped up, his dark eyes stone and locked on the naked man who was now plowing his way through the crowd. People fell left and right to the big man's momentum and shoving arms. Rae watched in sick amazement how fast he was. Then, the crowd split but a family of three in the middle.

He picked up the pace, speeding up even more. "What's that crazy white guy up to?" The quiet guy's friend asked, his spine turned to watch.

In an instant the little girl of the family was knocked from her parent's protective hold to the cold cement with the large nude man on top. Rae immediately went to alert the police when the two men sprung from their seats and high tailed it to the scene.

She watched as they ran to help with wide eyes, waiting for the call to be put through but it just kept ringing. Rae gave the cordless phone a troubled look before hanging up and trying again. The same result.

What the hell was going on?

In case the authorities did get involved, Rae packed their meals in a to-go box and set them on the counter along with the young man's hat. She went to set it on top when something fell out from the inner rim and spilled onto the floor. Rae blinked twice.

What had been rolled cash fell to the green and yellow squares of the ground in a splash of fifties. She made a sound of shock and bent to quickly retrieve the bills. There was at least four hundred dollars in her hands! Minding her own business, Rae stuffed the money back into the folds of the Fedora.

Pretending none of that just happened, Rae wiped her sweaty palms on the cloth wrapped about her hips and focused on the scuffle outside. Henry had emerged from his office to investigate what was the matter. Both looked on as their previous customers wrestled the attire less man off the young girl.

The dark haired man who was on par with the blond guy appeared to be having issues with handling the ballistic male. All three struggled when out of the blue the large tanned man let out a shout of pain. Rae's eyes narrowed. Did she just see...

The shorter man let out a hateful cry and punched the white man square in the jaw. He didn't even seem phased and kept trying to scramble back to the cowering family. A gun shot thundered in the streets making Rae flinch. The attacker fell to the pavement. And the pair who tried to rescue the family were being arrested!

"Why are they taking them in?" Rae frowned.

Henry shook his head. "Who knows what's going on other there. We're too far away." He put a hand on Rae's shoulder. "It's almost time for you to head home. Do you need me to drive you?"

Her boss was genuinely worried for her safety and Rae couldn't blame him, not after this. But she reassured him she would be fine.

"If you say so," Henry grumbled and went back to his papers. "I'll most likely close up after you leave. Nobody's gonna come around here right now."

That sounded like a good idea. Throwing her apron in the bin, Rae shrugged on her pack and bid Henry a good night. Spending the money for a bus ride tonight didn't seem like such a waste of money anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hell is gonna break loose next chapter.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are peoples! Sorry this taken so long. I've had this wicked cold and looking at any bright screen for long periods of time made my eyes water so bad...
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> 3-25-17 Edit: fixed grammar errors (thanks essence!)

The city was erupting into a state on unrest. Odd happenings were being reported to the police force. People had not reported for work and some were even reported missing. Ever since the plane with the mysterious deaths landed at JFK, the seams were becoming slowly unraveled.

It had been a total of four days and these occurrences were spreading like a virus.

Henry had closed down his diner as more than half of the staff had called out with some sort of illness or simply not pick up. This did not bode well to Rae. Dreadful fear coiled in her stomach like a cornered viper.

She gazed overhead New York with a blanched expression. This chilling feeling was what Rae experienced in the beginning of a good zombie film or game. The goosebumps rose on her flesh as she stared out the window. It was like a prequel to a much more horrible setting. The calm before the storm.

Rae refrained from going out as much as possible, keeping her leavings strict to walking Thor. The canine was also tense each time they left the comfort of their apartment. He never raised his hackles to anyone before, Thor being the kind natured dog he was since a pup. Except during the recent walk, in the dim light of evening with the coming of night, did Thor bare his fangs and snarl at passing man with heavy bags under his eyes and flesh white like chalk.

The young woman stuttered an apology and rushed back to the apartment building. Neither had departed from the living room for two hours. The sun set, casting its final flare of purple and red.

The city's lights flickered awake and glowed in the inky cover of the night. Everything had the appearance of regularity and calmness. Rae swallowed, crossing her thin arms. Deep down, she knew it was the opposite.

Her reflection in the window glass where she sat on the sil. Hazel eyes drifted southward.

Where was Vaun?

Surely if anyone could shed some intel on this, it was her- the dhampir. Perhaps all the negativity aimed towards herself was all in her anxious mind and this is what had been holding him up. That did little to balm the sting of abandonment he inflicted but it was the only thing that made sense.

Or was she to blame for his vanishing? Quinlan stressed in his last visit during Holiday if the Ancients discovered their acquaintanceship, it would not spell out favorably. That nerve-racking hardly ceased in its daunting spin within her mind. Rae sniffed. What was going on?

It was mere minutes into sun-down when the eerie motions began.

At first Rae mistook it as someone just tripping over their things or themselves, but then the thuds grew louder and more violent. She glanced to her floorboards as if to see what the flat below was up to. The tenant was known for being peaceful and quiet. They were an old woman called Mrs. Thomas, if memory served correctly. She was a kind soul who baked a few homemade treats for Thor when his birthday month rolled around.

But she lived alone and no family came to visit her while the two years Rae stayed here.

Thor roused from his curled position at her feet and perked his floppy ears at the noise. Beneath them the sounds of a struggle could be heard now. Rae kept glued to her perch, eyes wide with fright. She sat there pulled back and forth between checking on the elder or keeping herself out harm's way. Then the noisy shuffling paused at random.

Hesitant curiosity bubbled in her small person when seconds ticked by and no more sounds came from the lower home. Slowly sliding off the window, Rae got to her knees and bent her ear to the ground. Thor stood right next to her as she did so, listening in with more sensitive hearing.

It sounded like heavy breathing coming out in huffs and puffs until it eased out becoming murmuring. Her brown eyes narrowed trying to decipher her words.

"Who... you? Not my Jerry... Voice... my head... God?" An awe filled breath then nothing.

A gurgled growl was all she heard next. It drew closer and closer. The staggering footfalls thumping in the hallway, inching near her front door. The streaming program on her _PlayStation_ was drowned out by the pounding of Rea's heart in her eardrums. The noise growing louder and louder as she focused on the impending approach.

The door knob to her apartment jostled violently. Thor's hair spiked in a row of aggravation. Rae was up in a flash, spine rigid and tearing up eyes zeroed in on the entrance. It was locked. The brass jiggled more and a garbled noise followed the failed attempt to gain pass.

It was so like Vaun's little noises when he drifted off to sleep but he never scared her like this.

'Go away, go away, go away!' Rae begged, tears gathering at the ends of her eyes.

A purring rumble answered her plea and it shuffled onward, leaving them alone. For now. Rae released the unknowingly held breath in a shaking huff and carefully stood from her spot on the floor. Thor eased up a bit but kept his bright brown eyes glued to the door.

What was that?!

She tilted her head to the side and strained to hear anymore movement but got silence. Did it stop moving? That silly and illogical need to state the curiosity rose in her however, the need to grab a weapon of sorts came along with it. Rae was clumsy and indecisive at times but this was not one of them.

Glancing around her apartment the only thing that was suitable and not so threatening in case she was mistaken, was the umbrella stuffed into the corner by the door. She could at least smack whatever or whoever it was stalking the halls. It wasn't completely useless...

Rae grabbed the curled handle and braced herself. Taking a steady breath, she slowly and soundlessly slid open the door. Peeking out to her right the walkway was empty. So far so good. She squeezed out while trying to keep Thor inside. Rae did not need his furriness to go bolting off ahead. Successfully pushing her small body out of the crack, the young woman shut the entrance quickly.

It clicked closed but Rae kept her shaking fingers around the handle. The panic swelled in her breast nearly caused her to dart back inside and forget investigating. To ease her growing panic, the hall to her left was devoid of presence as well. She leaned back against the wall and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Stupid brain."

Damn her luck all to hell. That mutter caught what had wandered off attention. A sharp snarl and hurried pace of steps returning to her area. Rae felt all colour drain from her face. A beastly version of her hounding neighbor Mr. Franks stood at the end, staring her down with dead-panned red eyes.

His skin was ghastly and gaunt. Blue veins ran over his visage and other visible patches of skin like a latticework. Tuffs of his before-hand balding head were missing and left a smooth surface of pale skin. And to add more to the transformation, her eyes squinted at this, layers of flesh was hanging from his ears and nose. What the hell?! Franks had turned into a horrific shell of his former self.

Erratic and violent twitches burst in his arms and neck. Franks craned his neck and opened his mouth. She knew he had dentures so the rows of sharp fangs were new and alarming. A wretched screech burst from his throat as he charged.

Rae wished she could say she acted badass and took the infected Franks on but that would be a lie. She quivered in her frozen stance and unable to compute an action to defend herself. It was like _the Matrix_. Time had slowed down to frame by frame pace as Franks advanced while Rae merely watched as her precious seconds ticked away. How her door shuddered with each frantic paw Thor hit into it. How her heart kept with the sloth flow of the moment.

In an instant everything sped up and launched itself all at once.

_Dammit Rae, move!_

She flinched at the sudden intrusion of Vaun's desperate voice. Whether it had been imaginary or not, it helped her survive for another day. Franks jaw cracked and popped giving room the newly formed stinger to spring forward. It launched in a fluid motion of dark red, spittle, and hissing delight.

Rae pivoted to the left, dodging the lethal thing. It barely grazed her collarbone and latched onto thin air. She acted quickly, remembering the poor excuse for a weapon in her grip, and smacked the withdrawing organ. Mr. Franks snarled viciously at the treatment and ran after her.

"Oh shi-" The air was expelled out of her lungs in a rough push provided by the lanky yet firm collision from Franks' body.

Her spine hit the floor with a painful smack which worsened by the force of Franks' weight. The pair slid a short distance until they came to a halt at the stairwell's edge. The umbrella had flown out of her hand and landed on the space between the flights. Rae struggled to get up right but the spasming and failing limbs of her turned neighbor made it increasing difficult in her position.

Snapping fangs and a constant stream of thick drool made it a bit hard to concentrate on switching this current predicament in her favor, even in the slightest. Rae wasn't top strong at all but her legs however, were in decent shape with all the running involved.

She wretched her arm free, keeping the other secured to his shoulder. Daring to get close to his gaping maw that promised a fate worse than death was intimidating but necessary. Rae slapped her palm under his chin and wedged it shut as tightly as she could. A gurgled growl came from his caged stinger. The organ twisting and writhing in his gullet was disturbing.

Rae cringed at the sight but remained level headed enough to maneuver her legs and curl beneath him and hit him directly in the stomach. She used the leverage in his middle and top to vault off and down the stairs. He tumbled backwards, hissing and growling until it came to an abrupt and sickening end.

She managed to catch herself from joining his crashing on the railing. Rae craned her neck enough to stare in horror at what happened.

Franks rolled onto the umbrella, the point sticking straight up had sunken into the eye socket. His body flailed some as the brain shut down from the life ending trauma. Rae clutched a trembling hand to her mouth as bile rose to the back of her throat. She thought after watching such scenarios in video games and etc would prepare her. Obviously not.

Swallowing that nasty sensation, Rae stumbled to her socked feet. Her mind and heart both racing in tune with one another made her dizzy. So disorientated that she almost didn't see the black clad figure standing near the corpse.

"Rae?" She knew that voice.

"Ehhhh?" Rae shook her head a bit, trying to relieve the whirling.

"Rae!" This time a pair of incredibly hot hands grabbed the ball of her shoulders harshly. "Look at me!" It was like a voice was lapping over another, a duel harmonic of sorts.

Rae narrowed her eyes. Wait, she did know who that belonged to. She steadied for a moment to exclaim, "Vaun!"

He grinned a little, showing a hint of fang when she said his name. "Yes." But that melted away fast. "Tell me, did you-"

A loud bang from a few doors down caught their attention. Vaun shoved Rae into his chest and growled lowly at the noise. In a spin of various colours, they were inside her apartment. Thor greeted Vaun this time more hostile than any other. The Born returned the quip with his own gravely snarl. Thor snorted yet retreated a minor distance.

"I have no time for your nonsense, dog." He spat, turning to lock the door again.

Rae stood in the living room, finally on level ground again. Realization set in as well. She just killed someone! A chill ran over her limbs and down her spine. Mr. Franks was dead because of her!!

"Rae, love please don't," Vaun rumbled to her, "I can feel your distress. You didn't murder him. You gave him a mercy."

"What the hell just happened then?" She asked, but it went ignored.

He briskly walked over, eyeing her form. "Rae, this is important so please answer me."

She looked at him then. "What?"

"Did he bite you? Scratch you?" He kept space between them but Rae could tell he was having a hell of a time keeping it that way.

Rae shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware of..." Her fingers traced the torn fabric of her shirt where the stinger breezed by. It's tooth must've snagged the cloth. A trickle of fear went through her regardless.

Vaun closed the gap between them. His eyes wide with worry at the rip. The dhampir skimmed the clothing where it was open, his gloved finger tips dipping in and grazing her skin. Rae shuddered. He noticed and took his hand away. "I am sorry. It must have just missed."

His hand lingered in the air for a moment before making a decision. Vaun took hold of the bottom of her sweater and gently tugged her forward. They touched ever so discretely, barely within each other's chest. The Born rattled. "May I... may I hold you?"

Rae balked for a second. After his vanishing stunt he believed it would be all just honky dory when he came back? She eased up a bit though. God knew what Vaun was up to during that absence and with Mr. Frank-the _strigoi_ rather, outside things might be fucked. Rae tucked that hurt away. For now.

"I-I guess..." She was hauled into his embrace without delay.

His arms circled her torso and he buried his face into the crook of her neck, purring loudly. "I missed you. So so, very much."

She couldn't admit it out loud as it just brought tears. Rae was an easy person to bring to cry. She just nodded and dug deeper into his hold. The moment was short lived as Vaun broke their contact and told her to gather some belongings.

" _Pack_? Excuse me, but the fuck for?"

Vaun rolled his eyes at her choice of words. "This building is infected with the unclean. Half of it has been lost already and soon the entire structure will be a nest for them."

 **Half?!** But that would mean she'd have seen more than Mr. Franks staggering around for blood, right?

Sensing her questioning, Vaun explained. "I told you before, once one is bitten it then spreads uncontrollably. One loved one to another then on to feed. It is a viscous and unwavering cycle."

"Not every soul has been tainted here yet but I can smell their corruption. Hear their metamorphosis. I will **not** leave you here to be turned into a pawn!" He snarled.

Rae licked her lips. "This isn't an accident, is it?"

He sighed. "No, but I cannot explain further right now. Please, do as I say."

She frowned at his order but obeyed nevertheless. But that small task felt daunting. Rae glanced about her tiny space that had been her home for the last two years. So many memories were made here especially recently.

"Will we come back?" She whispered, crossing her arms.

Vaun rattled. "I cannot say for sure." His own sad gaze swept the room. "Only time will tell."

Nodding without another word, Rae went to her room. Everything fell in around her. What would she take?

Thinking about it just in case they did not return, Rae went for fundamentals first. She stuffed a purple backpack with enough clothing for a month. Squeezed her laptop beneath it all. Forced a pair of tennis shoes on the very top. The bag barely zipped shut.

"Fuck," Rae cursed, sitting defeated on her bed. God damn it why did she own so much crap?

Her little figures, books, and other personal stuff littered the room. It was all going to be left behind. It was silly of her to be sentimental in a predicament as this but it couldn't be helped. She worked hard to get all this shit and now it was easily going to be taken away.

A particular figure caught her eye. Rae pursed her lips. 'I am so taking that...'

* * *

Vaun watched as Rae departed from her personal chambers to the bathroom. The medicine cabinet was opened and some pills rattled as she put them in her bag. It was a smart idea to take what could be useful later on. Thor grumbled at his feet. He frowned. The Born was not about to take that furry bast-

"I gotta grab Thor some food and we can go." Rae informed as she exited the wash.

Damn it. "Rae, I don't think..." But he ate his words as she turned and glowered at him.

Vaun ceased speaking. She never glared at him like that! Why the hostility? He didn't even say to actually leave the flea mongrel here... yet. The Born shouldn't be so surprised. He suggested leaving behind a friend -to her- and it was heartless.

Vaun inwardly shrugged. It was worth a shot.

She gathered up a few cans after realizing she had no proper way to carry an entire bag. He would find more if this lasted. Damn thing was a livelihood to her and Vaun wouldn't allow it to starve. Rae trotted over to him when she was finished.

"Ready, I think." She shrugged with the plastic bag in hand.

Thor had ambled up to them and turned his head to the side. Rae grinned. "You're going too, don't worry."

'Unfortunately,' Vaun grumbled dryly.

The Born debated on taking the route he had previously or carrying her out the window. He would have to return for the animal though, slowing them down a few seconds. His ears flicked at the increased shuffling below. They were rousing more in number with the sunlight almost fading. If he was quick enough...

"Do you trust me?" He asked, snapping Rae out her little daze.

She blinked once, tilting her head. "Yeah?"

In a flash, Vaun had swiped her stance and had her in his arms. He walked to the window without uttering a single warning. He noticed her brown eyes widening with understanding what he was about to do. "Wait a minute! You can't just Batman us out the build-"

She began to object but her sentence was paused as he was out and dropping to the ground. Vaun was mildly impressed Rae didn't scream the entire way down. She did however, hold onto his neck for dear life. He twitched as the material of her rubbed against the tender area of his throat. The Born stashed a mental note to remind Rae of that.

They touched the damp concrete with a mute thud. Rae was like a statue in his hold. He grinned at it. "I believe Batman would be envious, yes?"

She shook her head once. "Uh, think so,"

He carefully set her on her feet and proceeded to escort her to the vehicle he parked in the shadows near the complex. Vaun had hurried here once the Ancients felt the infected spread further than at first. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure Rae was following.

It had escalated so quickly. When the spawns began to rouse, the Old Ones informed him they mostly all within the same location. In the beginning, this was so very simple. But now, the plagued escaped their confines and filtered into the city, every soul was at stake. Including Rae's.

"You have a car??" Rae gasped as the SUV came into view.

"It is not mine per say but I have access to use it." Vaun told her.

The Ancients accumulated much wealth over their infinite life span and it was put this use: to arm and gear their Hunters. He liked to tinker and create his own weapons, his monthly allowance granting him such hobbies but Vaun also made due with the ones commissioned to him.

He motioned the rear door was open and assisted in placing her items inside. Rae went to say more but he interrupted by guiding her to the passenger side.

"Stay in here. Do not open the door unless you see me, is that clear?" Rae frowned at him, her brows furrowed, but accepted.

She slammed the door rather harshly. Vaun turned to fetch the hound without lingering on it too much. He usually wasn't so short with her, perhaps that bothered her?

Females were such odd creatures, he shook his head on the thought. He wasn't rude about it. It was a simple task that ensured her safety should a _strigoi_ happen upon her in his short absence. Growling under his breath, Vaun clambered up the fire escape to retrieve her dog.

  
The animal was standing before the window and waiting patiently for their return but lowered his head when it was Vaun who came back for him. The dhampir bared his teeth at the defiant thing.

"Look, I have no more desire to tag along with you either but, I will be damned if she is deprived of her home and companion." He hissed, trying to convey something of importance to the fur bag.

Thor snorted and padded over to him, waiting to be picked up. Vaun sneered as he knelt to scoop up the canine. It was light but the smell was almost intolerable at this proximity. He ceased to breath while he carried Rae's pet to where she awaited them both.

Thor had been stiff as plank in his grasp but when her scent wafted thicker, he jumped out of his arms and bolted to the car. Rae opened the door, disobeying Vaun's orders and let the creature in. He was exasperated already with the animal.

In his thermal vision, he noticed a blotch of red wagging its tail in a place it had no right to be. The Born swung the door open with growl, "Get out of my seat."

Thor glanced at him out of the corner of his beady eye and huffed. Vaun gripped the frame so hard it bent under his pressure. Rae heard the metal creak and dent.

"Go and sit, buddy." It obeyed without further pressing.

Vaun rattled with annoyance. It left behind hair follicles and flakes of skin all over the seat fabric. Great. He shut the door with a growl.

Rae pouted, "Sorry..." Vaun felt his insides twist at her expression.

He switched the engine on. "It is fine. I just-"

"You two hate it each other. I get it. I didn't forget while you were away." She quipped, fastening her belt.

His shoulders tensed. Rae was mad over his disappearance. He knew she would be. Would he not be rightfully so if he were the one receiving such treatment? Vaun's stinger churred in his chest. Of course he would be angry. More than merely upset as well.

"Where are we going?" She asked, watching the street lamps go by.

Ah, she didn't sound so hurt now. This reassured him some yet also raised a confliction, one that been stirring in his breast the entire venture here. The one true safe place to house her was with him, where the Old Ones slumbered as well. However, the fear of them rejecting Rae or worse burrowed deeply.

Where else was there to take her? No plane was granted flight now so Quinlan's flat was scratched off. It could be possible to locate a private transport although, what if the plague could not be contained? Then they would separated by miles and miles of ocean, unable to reach each other. Vaun had no doubt in Quinlan's ability to keep her safe but she was his responsibility.

In reality, there was no better place. His lungs constricted at even considering it.

His gloved hand gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I am taking you to my home."

Rae whipped her head to stare at him surprise. "Seriously?"

Vaun gave her a crisp nod. "I am."

She leaned back into the seat. "So, I get to see your bosses then?"

 _Bosses_. He felt sick to his stomach. "Yes,"

Silence was thick in the air as they continued to ride on in silence save his clicks and rattles emitting from his chest. Vaun hadn't been this nervous since returning to her apartment after she saved him. This anxiety was far different than before though. Her life possibly hung in the balance.

The compound neared, its ominous shadow cast over the water. Vaun could not detect any scouts so he drove on. He had almost fallen into protocol cover Rae's face on the way but decided against it. Afraid to spark anymore anger at him.

They rolled into the underground lot. Her eyes narrowed at the dense darkness of the garage. She would adjust soon, up ahead were lights installed into the cement wall. Vaun parked next to the four other identical vehicles and cut off the motor. He suggested Rae leash Thor, for the animal's sake.

She was startled by that and fumbled with the lead. Rae was so easy to invoke nervousness in. Her tiny frame shook as she fished in her bag for it. Vaun sighed and took her trembling hand in his own. He saw the way her brows knit at the action before relaxing to peer up at him.

"None will harm you or him here, I swear. I will not allow it." Vaun did mean his every word.

The Hunters were kept on their own leash of sorts that he and the Ancients kept hold of. They would be easy to secure, keep in line. His masters on the other hand, would need a solid reason to convince Rae's settling.

Seemingly calmed by that, Rae nodded meekly and fastened the rope on his collar. Grabbing her things, Vaun hurriedly ushered them further into the compound. Rae refused his hand but kept close by his side, Thor trotting near.

They weaved through the maze like interior at a fast pace to keep from running into any wandering Hunters. All should be in their room yet but in case the order was given while he was gone, Vaun wanted little interference. Finally they reached the area built specifically for human needs.

The quarters were cramped but filled with the bare needs for any mortal ally. Vaun unlocked the first room and nudged Rae inside. She shuffled to the middle and suddenly appeared much smaller than she was.

"Is this your room?" She was _so quiet_. God was she that unnerved by it all?

"No, this is where the Sun Hunters board while in our service. Currently there are none, which may change soon." He explained.

"Sun Hunters are people?" She inquired, clutching her bag to her chest.

"They are mortals inducted to the Ancients for daylight purposes or aide in cleansing the infected." Vaun said, inching closer to her. He could smell the emotion coiling around her.

"Do they die?" Such a question.

He sighed at the truth of it. "I have lost many Sun Hunters."

The Born attempted to reconnect their bond but discovered the path blocked. It unsettled him a bit. He tentatively reached out and briefly touched her forearm, "If this room disturbs you Rae, you are more than welcome to... stay with me."

He saw her bottom lip quiver and desperately wished to know exactly what was going through her mind yet the damn bond would not let him. Vaun tried once again to hold her but she side stepped him. He froze immediately. Bringing her here was a terrible idea.

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

"This is fine," She muttered, not making eye contact with him.

His heart pinched. "Are you sure?" He again went to touch her but this time she swatted his hand away.

"Yeah," Rae said a bit louder.

Vaun was unsure of what to do. He sensed she was upset and he wanted to fix it but she refused it. Stubborn creature he was, Vaun gave it another try. His advance was met with a shove. The dhampir balked at the rebuke.

"Do not do that." He warned. Rae had provoked his more animalistic side before and while it did not end horribly, Vaun preferred it not be repeated.

" _Do not_ just vanish in thin air and leave me in the dark then!" Rae retorted her gaze meeting him now.

He grimaced. Damn it all. Vaun knew it was too good to be true that Rae just accepted his sudden absence. It was poor that he even expected it but still, what real harm came of it?

"I have my reasons." This reply just seemed to add more kindle to the fire.

Her little face scrunched up and her eyes shimmered with so much emotion Vaun was not fully sure of what she was going to do. What happened was not even the very last thing he imagined. The flesh of cheek stung as the sound of flesh striking flesh echoed in the small chamber. Vaun stood there momentarily stunned at the fact Rae had the gall to do such an act and somewhat admiring of it. The latter died in a flare of his attacked ego.

Keeping his limbs in check, Vaun snarled in her face, "Fine! Stay here alone!"

The Born stomped away from her before doing something he'd later regret. He heard her breathe hitch but cared not.

Vaun hissed one more thing before leaving her, "I'll be back later so the Ancients can decide your fate!"

He slammed the metal with so much force, it shuddered in the frame. He growled and twitched as Vaun stormed to his personal room.

 _Ungrateful female!_ He snarled and kicked open his entrance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, trouble for the rolls. Silly Vaun for thinking everything was okie dokie. But hey, I'd smack him too for just ditching my butt like that and then being incredibly vague/douche about it. There won't be much fluff for a bit, more angst and other things that need to be covered. Hang in there!
> 
> You guys are awesome! Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

The door's slam echoed in Rae's eardrums for what felt like hours. His angry image repeating over and over in her mind. She currently sat on the musty cot with Thor curled next to her thigh, muzzle settled on top. She hadn't meant to actually slap Vaun, but it just burst forth from each small vague comment he made.

Rae had been holding this all in for little under a month and honestly, she was a bit proud of not opting out and taking the easy route. Of course she was glad to finally see him again, and in one piece as well, yet the damage had been done. Inadvertently or not, Vaun had hurt her in one of the most painful ways possible.

Trust was a hard thing to forge for Rae. Most of her life she had been let down so many times, used to other's benefit, or just gullible. She had been chastised repeatedly for having such a nature and it rarely worked out in her favor. Until one night, a handful of months ago when Rae happened upon Vaun.

It had went so fast really, Rae realized thinking back on it. She never went along in stride with someone so easily. Yet it all just fell into place, piece by piece like a puzzle. Each tiny piece constructing to make something unknown and a bit terrifying.

Love was a concept Rae believed to be out of reach for her. These days, people didn't seem to want to pour effort to crafting and nourishing those relationships. It was always give or take. She couldn't just use a person to gain or toss away when their need was fulfilled. She also didn't have much desire to seek out companionship.

Was her move to this city on a mystical whim? Yes. Was it to locate someone? Maybe, maybe not.

Rae was a black sheep in the herd of humanity, she felt. She didn't lust after another. She didn't care about appearances. The only time Rae ever felt a hint of spark towards a person was if she was deeply emotionally invested in them. The concept of fishing for a one night stand was so alien to her.

She could crow all day over an actor being very attractive but if she met them in the flesh, there would be no stirrings to hop on them or what have you. Rae could only share intimacy with one she felt strongly connected to, cared with all her heart for.

Her face flushed. Did she not feel that way for Vaun? After those scenarios they found themselves in, Halloween, and her birthday had they not proved to each other there was trust forged between them?

Her hand burned with both an emotional and physical sting from the hit she inflicted on him. She hadn't truly meant to do such a thing. Rae shouted and cried her eyes out but never struck anyone. That fact made her all the more horribly conflicted.

Thor rumbled a sigh, rubbing his wet nose against her forearm. Rae grinned weakly at his gesture. "Thanks bud. Don't worry, I'll get over it."

It was just a bump in a long long road, wasn't it?

She wasn't going to stay mad at him forever but she sure as hell wasn't going to back down either. It wasn't the fact he had vanished on her, well not entirely, but it was the state of the manner in which he did. With Quinlan's ever present remark in her head about constant threat of the Ancients ending it, made Rae's stomach churn and twist.

The young woman believed she was not good enough for anyone to go through such stakes. Always on the teetering edge of possible punishment or worse, and for what? Rae was a nobody.

All this for what?

Both had fucked up on both sides and now when they needed each other the most, there was nothing. Rae admitted she felt a little empty inside without the hum of the bond. Even with the minor level of experience she got from it, Vaun told her what he felt from her made him feel not alone.

Tears stung her eyes as she refused to let them fall.

What had she done? Could she fix it?

Did he want to even fix it?

* * *

A band consisting of three unlikely individuals hurried through the dimming streets of New York. Two doctors, Nora and Ephraim Goodweather tagged along with a professor learned in knowledge no longer of use this age Abraham Setrakian. He urged them to follow him in his pledge to vanquish these pale reclusive creatures- all whom the CDC agents believed to deranged sickly people.

This mind set changed, shaking them to their core during shadowing the old man through a neighborhood. They broke into a house belonging to a victim's father, Gary Gilbarton. No one had answered the cracked open door, their apology for intrusion, and they found no trace of either.

It was there that Ephraim had begun to believe Mr. Setrakian ranting nonsense.

Below the declared dead eleven year old girl was lurking, discoloured and morphed body swaying to the repeating music. She was alive in a unnatural way. They had sliced the balding head from her small body. The father was next as he fumbled through the hallways, reacting to the literally severed bond.

Twice this happened the second Nora was absent for, unable to cope with the reality currently. But they regrouped and now made way to acquire items that would aide in their survival until something could be done. A colleague Jim Kent-recently bitten and disappeared, mentioned a place that would have all equipment they'd need.

As Nora and Goodweather were wanted fugitives, their status revoked and they were cut off from any medical devices. So that left them little choice venture out and purchase what they could. The trio arrived at the address too late.

The store was closed and had been for some time. The doctors scowled while the professor said nothing but survey the building.

"I believe this calls for more invasive maneuvers, Dr. Goodweather." He said rather calmly.

Ephraim stared wide at the old man. "Add burglary and theft on to my list of shit? No!"

Nora frowned at the suggestion but did not toss it away entirely. Crisis gave them authority to do whatever it took, did it not? She brought up another idea, for moral sake. "There is another store, we can go there."

"Miss Martinez," Abraham hobbled around the corner. "We are running on precious time, it'd be unwise to waste it."

Goodweather gave her a reassuring squeeze to the ball of her shoulder then trailed after the elder. She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. She was a damn scientist, not a delinquent! Nora relented as she just accepted the action as a step for mankind's best interest to survive.

The men were looking upwards, a long yet thin window was above the back entrance, gauging if any of them could fit. Nora grimaced as she envisioned trying to squeeze through the small opening. She was able to with much discomfort but Eph tried the door anyways.

He twisted and turned the knob, but of course it was locked. The doctor banged his flashlight on the top yet the handle did not budge. Setrakian shook his head at the man's sorry attempts. If he were younger, they'd be inside already.

Nora kept her space, keeping an eye out for any patrolling police officers. She saw no one but did however, notice a muffled sound within. The female doctor waved her hand, putting a gloved finger to her lips. Both glanced at her confused.

She motioned to the building and mouthed, "Someone's in there."

Everyone remained silent, listening to the shuffling and whistling...? It was a cheery tune with absolutely zero fucks in it. They assumed it was an overnight employee doing stock but the door jostled when something hit against it.

The tune grew louder as things rustled on the other side. All of them were utterly puzzled by what was going on until the whistling stopped suddenly. A joyful chuckle then a brief shout of warning,

"BOOM!'

The group retreated quickly only to witness how contained and minor the explosion actually was.The door was successfully blown off the hinges with little damage to much else. Each of them stood and gawked.

A large shadow emerged from the smoke with an amused grin.

He was very tall and broad shouldered with dark hair and mirthful blue eyes. A city badge hung loosely around his neck. The man's grin grew wider discovering he had an audience.

"Sorry 'bout that! I didn't scare ya, did I?"

* * *

Vaun slapped the metal door to his chamber so ruthlessly closed, it bounced off the hinges and back open; making the Born turn on his heel with a snarl and close it again.

Damn woman!

A more rational and in control part of his mind called for a moment of calm, to take a step back and breathe so he may try to fix what ever had been done inciting Rae's lash out. However, the other hurt side roared that he had to remain steadfast, defiant in his anger. Rae had started it after all. She hit him!

Vexing, confounding, ungrateful female! His wounded pride bellowed as the Born paced in his nearly bare quarters.

He had risked so much for her and this violence was his reward? Vaun scowled at his words as he realized he was more upset over the fact his bed would be empty tonight- or God knew how long instead. Rae was difficult to rouse true anger in but it was simple to soothe it. Problem was: she may forgive, but she did not forget.

His ego piped up again reminding him of the sacrifice he paid to attempt and ensure her safety beforehand. Vaun had chosen to keep his distance in order to end this impending disater in any way possible before it even began. Yet fate had other more vile and cruel intentions it seemed. But the more Vaun looked back on the past month, the more he came to see the matter was clearly out of their hands.

The Ancients felt the shift, the distant tug within the dark and thick coils of the void where a dormant and sinister link slumbered; out of contact and out of reach. It had been so miniscule and sudden, that almost neither he nor Quinlan felt it. Although it was unknown and bleak, the Old Ones displayed signs of a coming, something wicked rising. They briefly shared this concern with Vaun, cementing the need to do what could be done in order to protect Rae.

The call had been sounded and he needed to obey.

The youngest of seven had made itself known for a fleeting and terrifying moment. If it was indeed on the move, they had to be ready for whatever unholy scheme it had planned. As his masters once held the best intentions for mankind, their sibling did not.

A being who dared declare itself the true master was- is of body and mind, so foul that all it desired was to rule the essence of humanity: their souls. Its thirst so greedy and callous that is would have the entirety of the world beneath its heel, at beck and call. It would shape the world in its image, as it saw fit besides the way it was meant to be.

The mindless kin wandering over the earth, devouring everything in sight both for nourishment and command. The Seventh's plan for the mortal race was disturbing and vile. Vaun sombered a bit, falling back on his pallet.

He and Quinlan would be exterminated first without second thought. It would be foolhardy and suicidal to kept them alive. They would undo its plans, thwart it at each opportunity. Of course a swift death would be a mercy.

The Master would hunt down anything or anyone the dhampirs cared for. It would do so tauntingly, like a creeping shadow looming closer and closer until it ensured all of it. It took much pleasure in goading them, reminding them with insults how low they were and their very existence an abomination. Their ends would drawn out slowly and agonizing.

His clasped his hands together, rubbing the digits against the other in anxiety.

Vaun's imagination ran wild and frantic at the thought if it managed to catch Rae in its grasp. She'd be taken from him, defiled in front of him and forced to end her himself. Or worse. He gained an intimate amount of information from his sire of the Seventh's intentions with the human population.

He gnashed his fangs tightly in order to cage the broken noise that desperately wanted to escape.

A fate worse than death and corruption combined, Vaun thought. He would willingly succumb to the strain before he'd allow such a fate befall Rae. But he would not linger on those dreadful musings. If they were successful, then those imaginings would be nothing more than phantoms of nightmares.

While these thoughts kindled a new type of anger in him, Vaun felt his rage at Rae's actions lessened, crumbled to ash. Sadness and loneliness settled in their place.

The half-breed sighed, bowing his scarred head in defeat. She was hurt by his disappearance, not at the reasons he had come up with at the start. Rae's view on herself didn't help the situation.

Perhaps she feared he had abandoned her, found her presence no longer appealing or of worth. He couldn't fathom why one as she had such an unfair perception of themselves. Vaun recalled her stories of childhood, yet still could not fully understand how none had seen her as he did.

He was a monster in more ways than one but Rae was almost treated the same by others. She had called herself an oddball many times in his company and it bothered him greatly. Vaun never comprehended the factoring in human's terms of dealing with among themselves.

By all the gods known to man, how could he leave such a precious treasure behind willingly? Rae was no means a mere trinket to him but the value she held to him was boundless. Vaun ached for her in so many ways. He missed how her cool yet warm skin felt against his. Her shy smile he could cause. And her ability to make him feel loved, wanted even.

Rae brought a certain balance to his ever present and inner turmoil. She made a mutt, one that no real place in either heritage, feel like he could belong somewhere. She never gazed at him like aberration of nature. Rae accepted him to the base of his center, to his very core.

Had he thrown all of that away?

The Born buried his skull in bare palms with guilt. Surely she would not hate him so much? Maybe if he got a chance to explain…

He rattled. It would have to wait. The Ancients roused from their slumber. Unconsciously they already knew a mortal had crossed into their territory. They would summon him to explain... oh God, the last thing he spat at Rae in vain…

What could she possibly be feeling right this second? At him? Towards the impending threat he left behind?

Icy horror laced his spine.

**_What would they think?_ **

It was maddening not being able to reach out and decipher her emotional state. It felt as if a hole had been punched through him as the bond continued to be blocked. He would definitely investigate a way to fix this.

Vaun braced himself as he rose from his pitiful wallowing. There was still time to correct this blunder. He just had to think of an idea first...

* * *

She heard his approach before the door opened. Rae wiped her blotched cheeks of the evidence of her tears. She'd be damned if she let him catch her crying right now. Thor picked his head up from the bed and growled.

Vaun entered, not paying heed to the dog. His own face was careful and devoid of emotion. Rae swallowed the rising apology. It would wait until the ground was even again. She didn't move at his presence.

"Come. They request to see you." Vaun said, the actual request wording wasn't opt out either.

Rae uncurled her limbs and rose to her feet. She gave Thor a passing rub before ducking by Vaun and out the door. She thought she saw Vaun flinch at her cold shoulder but he followed without showing if he had.

He was in front, guiding her deeper into the underground place he had taken her.

No words were spoken on the way. An invisible set between them, tense and unbreakable. Rae had made attempts to open bond thing but failed each time. The bitter taste was awful in her mouth. It made her feel that much worse.

They descended down a short flight of stone stairs then came to an abrupt halt. Vaun glanced over his shoulder to say, "Mind your words."

Rae frowned at his suggestion at first but relaxed some when she finally caught the underlying concern hiding in his red eyes. Don't let your emotions run away, I don't know what they'll do.

She trailed behind, chin tucked and eyes cast downward. Rae hadn't the faintest idea what was she even going to say the Ancients. What she have to offer? If they found out, even they didn't already know, about her and Vaun what would happen then?

The Born motioned for her to stop, wait while he went forward. The darkness was so dense in here, Rae could no longer make out his outline the further Vaun walked. Then a source of light dimly came to live, illuminating the middle. Rae felt all sense of joy and life drain from her and die.

Placed on tall and red pedestals, sat three creatures that were similar to Vaun then not. The hair on the back of her neck stood and shivered. She could detect they were extremely older and more powerful than their outer shells displayed.

Vaun signaled for her to approach. She gulped but moved, albeit slowly. Her heart was racing and she couldn't think of how to calm it. She was willingly going towards creatures that would kill her without a second thought! How'd you chill knowing that?!

'At least don't tremble like a baby in front of them!' Rae commanded her limbs to stop in their quivering but that was easier said than done. Her instincts were alert and high, focused to flee.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Rae enter the confines of the center. Vaun was ahead and to her left a handful inches. Her brown eyes shifted away from the very middle where a drain looking thing was cemented into the floor.

'Don't think about it, don't think about it!' Rae chided herself over and over until a sensation of insects crawling over arm was felt buzzing in her brain.

 **A human...** God, it felt as if death itself was whispering in her ear. **So small, so fragile appearing...**

"She has much worth, masters." Vaun interrupted.

 **To us?** The hissed, eyes cracking open to reveal burning embers. _**Or to you?**_

To his credit, Vaun did not falter in his words. " _To all_. I assure you."

 **We sense nothing of use except...** Their voices combined sounded like the tongues of slithering serpents. **_Love._**

Rae swore she felt her heart stop along with Vaun's. They fucking knew!

**You brought this mortal here for selfish purpose.**

**A bond has been forged.**

**Your loyalty torn.**

Those instincts from earlier? They jumped into hyper drive as she watched them twitch and crack, rising from their seats. Each gaze was focused on her and her alone.

**It must be gotten rid of.**

What? Panic for her life swelled. No! No! No! _No!_

Her eyes couldn't tear away from the image of three ancient vampires slowly unfolding, braced to her rip her apart or worse. She didn't have the courage to look and gauge how Vaun was taking this horrid turn of events.

"I declare Rae Michelle Williams a Sun Hunter!" He shouted, his voice cracking ever so slightly in hopeful desperation they cease.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 20... oh wow. Heehee, I didn't think it'd get this popular! It really warms the heart. I wanna thank you guys and all your support. It's been great and hope it continues to be! :)

Disbelief poured over Rae in buckets. What did he just say?? Sun Hunter, that meant recruitment for them- _to fight_ and _kill_ for them. Rae stood there utterly immovable as the realization was processed in her thoughts. She was no fighter! She couldn't kill a spider much less a vampire!!

Her 'victory' at the apartments was sheer luck, divine intervention, anything but actual skill. It was a miracle in itself she managed to not get bitten. What in the world was Vaun thinking?!

 **Sun Hunter you are in name,** A raspy voice clicked and rattled in her mind, **But not in body.**

"Something easily remedied." Vaun spoke up, tuned into the voice that still had yet to leave her mind. "Allow me-"

 **No!** All three _strigoi_ lords' voice boomed as one unified command, **We sense confliction to give the proper instruction. Another will train her.**

Rae felt all the colour drain from her face as a figure moved in the dense shadows behind the trio of Ancients. She would've doubted her glasses if she hadn't already known Vaun was near. A _strigoi_ stepped into the dim light that resembled her- the other dhampir almost exactly, in visage and attire.

It clasped its gloved hands in front and stood without speaking. It's red and black eyes did however, flicker between her and Vaun- who slightly bared his fangs at the arrival. Rae swallowed nervously. Did that mean Vaun didn't like it or was merely showing his displeasure of being replaced?

 **He shall train you in way of combat and defense, mortal.**  Another tone now, different and alone from the others. **You shall either be successful and survive or fail and die alongside the rest of your plagued kind.**

The new vampire stepped forward now. Vaun followed his stride with narrow eyes as the _strigoi_ made way to her. Rae braced herself, trying not to hint at any fear she was experiencing. The hurt anger at Vaun melted away with this foreign presence and she wanted him by her side. He obviously felt an inkling of this and shifted towards but was halted by the _strigoi's_ voice.

"My name is Lar." His ruby and coal gaze scrutinized her form. "I will teach you the basics but the rest will be learned out there." He directed his bald head in indicated of the outside.

"He isn't necessary. I can make sure the human is more than capable of hunting at a much lesser risk." Vaun argued, vehemently glaring at Lar.

 **Born, you will be silent and accept this!** The Ancients bellowed, the inner voices trembling.

Lar smirked at Vaun's flinch at their masters' sheer volume. "Acceptance is the first step for denial, brother."

Vaun sneered at Lar, avoiding the burning gaze of the older vampires. Rae felt invisible in this midst of beings who were not fully human nor of this world entirely. Overlooked as if she didn't matter or hold any weight in this strictly three way conversation that did involve her.

A spark of that hot-headedness her mother constantly warned Rae about flared up in her chest, bubbling and threatening to burst. Her lips turned downward in an agitated tug and her arms uncrossed from their defensive position over her chest. Ancient these raggedy things may be, revered to their own kind sure.

But that meant shit to her!

Sensing her changing mood through body language alone, Vaun reached out to calm her before anything was said. "Rae, do no-"

"Hey!" Rae managed to actually raise her voice without sounding like complete coward.

Four of the supernatural beings in the chamber looked at her in mild surprise, save for Vaun who was currently screaming inwardly at Rae. Lar appeared almost impressed she could even project her voice that loud for one so tiny.

The Ancients meanwhile, stared with their fiery eyes unphased.

"I will not be talked about like I'm not in the same room! _Especially_ if it concerns me!" She said with a fire that would not be calmed now. Foolish as this drive was, Rae would not retreat.

"I'll fight, but not for you, not because you're exploiting shit _that is none of your business_ , but for the sake of people I give a damn about!" She stated rather vehemently.

Ages it felt seem to pass as the Old Ones neither moved a limb or said a word. Vaun thought he may just combust if nothing happened. Rae drew in her bottom lip and chewed it nervously

 **Go. Train it and rid this city of the unclean**. None of them said another word as their eyes slowly closed and they drifted back into whatever slumber they had been in.

Disbelief and relief weighed heavily in the air. Having no want to bear the threat of suffocating beneath it, Vaun moved swiftly and grabbed Rae by her elbow; dragging her along with him out of the chamber. Lar followed like a shadow.

"Do you have a death wish?" Vaun hissed at her.

Rae frowned and tugged harshly to free her caged limb. "No! But they don't get to talk about people like they're dirt, expendable assets!"

Lar rolled his red and black eyes. "Your argument is invalid. They are not beings of this world, unable to comprehend human emotion, and care little for the minor when the bigger picture is all that matters." He continued. "The Hunters, us, and you are mere cattle feed to the grander machine of things."

"Get more depressing, please..." Rae mumbled, still wiggling her arm to be released.

Vaun growled. "It may sound so black and white however, Lar is correct. The Old Ones are set in their ways and will not be moved." He allowed Rae's appendage slip from his grasp. His palm felt like ice without it.

Rae rubbed the skin where his hand encircled. It didn't hurt, he'd never do so, but she missed the warmth he gave off. "I understand but then I don't."

"Understandable." Lar rumbled, taking place next to Vaun and placing her behind them. "You are mortal. Your kind's core is stubbornness."

The trio walked on in silence after that. Vaun refrained from glancing over his shoulder to look at Rae. His most sentient Hunter knew there was more between them than lead on by either and had no wish to for another to exploit them. The Born would simply watch from afar until the right time presented itself.

"Do you at least know how to properly hold a weapon?" Lar asked in a flat tone, breaking the dense quiet.

"Does a BB gun count?" Rae shrugged.

She hadn't much experience with guns or anything like that nature since there weren't many in her immediate family that hunted, much less fished. Her knowledge came from what she saw on the internet and in game play. All of which were useless in this setting.

Lar frowned deeply then turned to Vaun. "You chose _so_ wisely." He growled.

Vaun rumbled. "You don't know the half of it."

An echoing snarl bounced off the stone walls and reverberated all around them causing Rae to startle, emitting a tiny noise of fright. Both vampires glanced over their shoulder, Vaun looking dejected and Lar disappointed.

"She jumps at the smallest of noises, like a timid rabbit." He spat. "I'll have my hands full..."

"If she is already a bother to you, then let me oversee her training." Vaun attempted to switch this back into his control but Rae spoke up after calming herself.

"Look! I've been belittled enough today, okay?!" Her hazel eyes switched to and fro between Lar and Vaun. "Can you just fucking not?"

Vaun could see without the aide of their bond how exhausted and defeated she was. Rae had gone through much in the past few hours. She could only take so much 'drama' as she'd most likely call all this. Hopeful Rae would grow to be resilient against these instances.

"Fiesty little female, aren't you?" Lar noted, the flesh of his brow lifted in slight interest.

The dhampir growled at his Hunter for the bold comment. Rae scowled, fed up with both of them.

"I'm so fucking done." She broke through them and went ahead towards the barracks.

He wanted to escort her himself but Vaun felt it would be best to leave to her own devices. It cut him that the bond felt as dark as the blackness she walked into. This would be difficult to salvage…

"If her little outburst towards the Ancients tells me anything," Lar said, watching Rae vanish into the dense shadow. "It is that maybe there's potential after all."

Vaun pouted a little. "She's stronger than any of you realize." He departed from Lar's company to go wallow in his own pitch hole.

The _strigoi_ stood at a crossroad of what to do. He had never seen Vaun so on edge before yet this explained his disappearances of late. His masters obviously saw something that could be used to keep both in line, but what exactly?

He may be able to think and feel above the pack huddled in their room but found things escaped him still. His memory of a human life were muddy at best. Lar believed he had life anyway. Even the Born had gone through their times as a slave.

Lar could decipher the expression of fear for the female on Vaun's face and a sense of longing emanated from him. Why though? What was she to him?

Was her blood appealing? He hadn't thought so. Her scent was as regular any other human woman he'd smelled before. Her defiance was refreshing compared to all the sniveling mortals brought before the Ancients to be drained.

Although, that still didn't pinpoint what his pack leader fancied about her. A confounding art, these human emotions. Oh well, Lar would discover their secret soon.

* * *

Rae was left alone the rest of the night. She couldn't find any peace to fall asleep, even with Thor guarding from his curled spot at the end the cot. Her mind played tricks with the shadows, making them come alive as if something were lurking within.

Plus the emptiness that lodged itself inside her chest made it no easier.

The bond hadn't so much twitched since her fight with Vaun. It was vague during his absence but this bleak feeling made it was if the thing didn't exist any longer, like a gaping and bleeding wound had been dealt to her chest.

God, was this what he felt? Could it be even worse on his side? Rae wasn't blind. Her loud one sided 'conversation' with the Ancients conveyed that much. He had never looked so frightened -for her- before. It wrung tightly on her heartstrings.

How long could she hold onto this bitter anger for? Rae knew this was silly, but still the need for Vaun to understand the consequences of his actions remained. She groaned and rested the back of her head against the wall. God, why did she have to fall for someone with so much complications?

''Cause it'd be bloody boring, that's why' Rae's subconscious reminded her.

Speaking of boring, when was this training supposed to begin? She had stormed off in a huff before Lar had even mentioned it further than his insults. Rae giggled, calming a bit now, at how he pronounced his name.

'My name is Larrrrrrrr,' She rolled the 'R's in an exaggerated manner that Rae felt mimicked him very well.

Morning could have very well arrived yet Rae hadn't an inkling to the time. Her phone had died some time during the night and didn't feel like digging anything else out of her bag. She hadn't come to terms with actually staying probably.

Deep down, Rae hoped Vaun and the Hunters could stop this before it spread out of control.

Call it a cowardly hope, a fool's wish, but she just wasn't cut for out this. Fighting, handling guns, this was all some kind of weird dream where Rae discovered herself sucked into _Battefield_ or worse _COD_. She wrinkled her nose.

Why couldn't she be magically transported into some like _Star Wars_? Sith Lord for the win! A tiny smile graced her lips at imagining throwing _strigoi_ with a wave of her hand.

Her nerd moment was interrupted by a loud knock to her door. Rae startled forward, sitting with her forearms resting on her knees. She wasn't sure to what to say....

"Come in?" A timid reply. How else would she put it? This wasn't her place!

Lar entered and shut the door behind him. He began to walk into the middle when Thor caught his eye. The _strigoi_ halted and stared at the animal, not blinking.

"What the hell is that?" He asked, top lip curled in a sneer.

Rae rose a dubious brow. "A dog??"

"So he wasn't kidding..." Lar mumbled, still looking at Thor who shockingly hadn't made an aggressive move towards the _strigoi_. "It is more calm than he described."

"Noted," Rae pursed her lips. Thor was curious but remained at ease.

Lar retracted his gaze from him to her. "Get up. Your training begins now and will so, at this very same hour, until I deem you acceptable. Got it?"

Rae sighed. "Yeah,"

She rose from her spot and walked over to fetch her shoes when Thor trotted after her. His big brown eyes watched her every move, tail still. He seemed unsure of what to do.

'Don't worry, duddy. I feel the same.' Rae gave him a reassuring pat then slid on her shoes.

"The dog stays." Lar hissed at her furry shadow.

Definitely. Taking a bite of someone full of worms didn't sound so great. Nodding, Rae nudged him back. Thor obeyed yet didn’t blink until the door shut. Her heart broke a little more.

"Hurry up and don't lag behind." Lar said, already paces ahead.

Rae jogged to catch up quickly. "So what are you going to teach me exactly?"

Lar glanced at her from the side and simply stated, "How to not die, of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Sorry it's so short!


	21. Chapter 21

It had four days since Lar started these sessions and Rae swore up and down her body had never been so sore in her life. Her skin was spotted with bruises and lumps. Her muscles burned with using them so much. You'd think that running/walking to work would keep a person in pretty good shape... Yeah, how 'bout no?

"I think my bones have bruises on them, bud." Rae complained to Thor, who laid next to her on the cool floor.

Lar had been rigorous in his teaching. They were still on the base level for defending herself as Rae felt he used her more as a venting outlet, plus her reaction wasn't exactly on par. She flinched even before his strike landed or made a noise of impending pain. Either caused the _strigoi_ to grow more annoyed with her.

But oddly enough he'd allow her to follow him about seeing as Vaun made himself scarce. Lar offered the excuse of merely making sure she didn't put her nose where it didn't belong. No matter the truth behind his reasoning, Rae was thankful for someone to talk to. Despite the sass he sent her way.

In fact, it was kinda refreshing yet it didn't help balm the ache in her chest. Rae felt off balance without the bond. She didn't notice much at first over their time separated but it seems their fight just made the issue worse. It was as if a piece of her was missing, just simply out of her reach.

Especially in this case. Vaun was literally out of sight. Seriously. It's like he became one with the darkness or something! She knew her actions were a bit harsh but now the bitterness had washed away and Rae wanted to apologize. Maybe even get a partial one from him...

Thor's head popped up at noise too faint for Rae to pick up. His brown eyes stared the metal door down then a knock that had become familiar rang out. Rae sighed, half-rising from her stretch.

"It's open," She called softly.

Lar stepped in and Thor padded over to meet him. Rae still hadn't gotten over the fact that the two got along! It was quite the shock to her. Her dog wasn't one hundred percent about Lar at first but never reacted how he did to Vaun.

She could theorize for the rest of her life to comprehend why but probably never pin it.

The _strigoi_ scratched the bridge of the animal's nose, then spoke to her. "Have you rested enough?"

Rae sighed dramatically. "You're gonna kill me."

"No, _you_ are going to _kill yourself_ by being lazy." He countered with his usual snark.

She pouted. "But,"

Lar grabbed her by the scruff of her jacket, the tips of her shoes barely touching the floor. "I believe you are mistaking me for someone who cares, like Vaun. I assure you," He set on her feet. "I do not."

"Fine, fine," She conceded.

The young woman begrudgingly trailed behind him. It was pure silence for once in the underground and Rae thought she'd enjoy it but found it rather unnerving instead. To break the eerie quiet, Rae asked. "Speaking of Vaun, do you know where he is?"

Her 'mentor' did not reply, earning a scowl from her. Normally full of comments this was strange unless he was trying to make her mad on purpose. Then what would the reason for that??

"Earth to Sass Master!" Rae attempted conversation again.

"You're like a bee," He said, "Constantly buzzing and extremely annoying."

"Bees keep this planet alive, thank you." She smarted him right back.

His shoulders pinched for a second. "Look," Lar craned his neck to glare at her. They hardly spoke of the dhampir and each time she did bring him up, it appeared to prod a nerve.

"I don't know what you two are but," Lar motioned between them. "He's not the same since you arrived. That's all I know. As to _where_ ," He growled. "That is a good damn question."

They reached where they'd sparred shortly. Rae was distracted by his vague yet forthcoming news about Vaun. If Lar didn't know where he was, what did that mean? God, how bad did she fuck up this time?!

"Spare me your internal conflict." Lar rattled. "I can smell your anxiety from here."

'Well excuse me, princess!' Rae huffed and shoved her worries aside.

He ordered her to resume the stance he showed her on the first day. She brought up her arms and braced them in front of her person. Her legs slightly spread but firm in their place. Hey! This felt more natural! Maybe she was getting the hang of it-

Rae grunted when Lar sucker-punched her to the ground. The human rubbed her pulsing nose while failing to keep in her tears.

"Pay attention." Lar rumbled.

* * *

Vaun slouched on his cot after returning from feeding the Ancients. His shoulders felt heavy as did his heart. He had shadowed Lar and Rae for a while and grew jealous yet relieved that she had company.

The _strigoi_ wasn't able to pick up his mental signature due to Vaun blocking it. A trick Quinlan had showed him years ago. This allowed the Born to watch over them, mainly Rae, from afar without being discovered. It pained him to stay apart from her, more so as he noticed her actively seeking him out.

But he was too ashamed by his behavior earlier. His words to her still haunting him like a damned ghost that lingered over his shoulder, whispering them to him over and over. God what was he thinking? Threatening her with the Ancients?

And now, she is in training to be a Sun Hunter!

Vaun believed he was quick and resourceful in his thinking however it backfired. The Old Ones had tasted his feelings for her and did not hesitate to use them to their advantage. Keep her alive yet out of reach, but alive. For now.

It was not that he truly did not believe in her ability to survive but it was easy to become overrun. And her health, even though not fully fragile, was not a factor he could ignore. Vaun would have to keep an eye out for Rae since her own well-being held little matter to herself…

The brisk footsteps earned his vague attention before his door shook then burst open.

"I do not care what has been done or said," Lar rasped, lips twisted into a glower. "But I have had enough of it! You will take it back!"

Vaun rose the flesh of his brow in confusion. He hadn't taken anything from Lar... ah.

"The Ancients have forbidden it. No matter how greatly I want to take _her_ back, I cannot."

Lar shook his head. "You disobeyed them before, even if the offence so minor they'd never discover it, why hesitate now?"

"Because..." The dhampir frowned, knowing his reason was a weak one. "Her life is on the table."

His Hunter scoffed. "That stopped you from instigating this in the first place?"

Vaun paused, eyes slightly wide as he looked at Lar in mild surprise. How did he know- _Rae_. God dammit how much had she said?!

"Do not forge anymore anger at Williams." Lar clicked, one hand clasped to his hip. "She misses you. I think."

"What makes you think so?" The Born didn't move an inch, only stared at his pack mate.

"For one, she will not leave me alone." Lar growled. The _strigoi_ did so enjoy his privacy and despised it when someone ate up more of their allotted time. "Secondly, her sorrow is stalling the air with it's bitter fragrance."

Of course, Vaun refused the urge to roll his eyes. His shoulders slackened a bit at the mention of her sadness. He had not seen her much thanks to the bond being shut off. Did she feel half complete as he did?

"Do whatever it is you... pairs do." Lar grumbled, turning to leave. "What is it I overheard? Ah yes, just fuck her and all should be repaired."

Vaun hoisted the Hunter up by his hood, then harshly deposited him outside the chamber on the floor and slammed the door with a sputtering ramble. The Born grew flustered and even more embarrassed by that particular issue.

Should they get past this silly phase and actually press further into this, what paths lay before them when Rae found out that he could not... copulate to the proper fashion? Would she be repulsed? Disappointed?

The conflicted half-breed shook his skull free of these distracting trains of thought. It was not important and probably had little chance of actually occurring.

Rae didn't desire him like _that_ , did she?

* * *

_Next Day..._

Quinlan emerged from the shadows and stood next to Vaun, observing the training session between Lar and Rae. His pale blue eyes studied the pair for a moment then switched to Vaun's tense form. The elder Born could feel the immense displeasure wafting from him besides the obvious displeased posture.

His arms were crossed tightly over his chest. One leg crossed over the other as he leaned against the wall, eyes narrow and jaw set. His ears heard Rae's falter in her steps before she landed on her back.

"Why are you not the one training your female?" He asked, only a tiny fraction curious.

" _Punishment_." Vaun growled with the word with a such venomous tone.

Ah, he figured that's what had happened once her familiar scent, devoid of Vaun's, hit his senses at his arrival. The Ancients had mentioned it lightly. Quinlan was surprised then not.

It was a mercy in itself but humiliating on another hand.

"At least she lives." He said softly.

Vaun rattled, his angry eyes closing for a second. "Yes, but I wonder if I have done her a disservice instead."

Quinlan hummed. "Perhaps... would you rather she be outside? Scavenging and clinging to the shadows like a rat, skittering away from the unclean?"

He knew his wording was harsh but it was the truth. Vaun bristled at that.

" **No!** " He barked, earning a flickering of gazes his direction.

Vaun flinched and looked to the ground. "Of course not...!" He whispered.

"Then be thankful for the smallest of of boons, yes?"

Rae yelped and again fell to her bottom. Vaun winced, his muscles commanding him to move but he refrained. Lar growled something at her, motioning for her stand. She did but Lar swiftly knocked to her back with a sideswipe by his foot.

Quinlan noted Lar's rather harsh teaching. "He's being a bit of an ass." He stated dryly.

The Hunter was going too fast for Rae to even begin to gain the proper sight to evade and she paid for it with each strike.

Vaun scowled, crunching his limbs further into himself. "When is he _not_ being an ass?"

The older Born closed his eyes briefly. He was not here for even a full day and already he had more than his father and its unholy army to clean up after. Quinlan could sense there was something else behind Vaun's sour mood.

He could faintly detect their bond had grown a tad weaker than last he had seen them. Quinlan had his share of spats with his late wife and understood how these silly arguments could affect each other. He decided to take a jab at he subject.

"What have you done now?"

His former pupil cringed. "Nothing."

Stubborn twit even when Quinlan was attempting to help. Then again Vaun had always been stubborn yet when it came to curiosity and concern for Rae, he had been more open.

Lovely…

"If you're going to act like a child, I'll just ask her myself." Quinlan stated, removing himself from the shadow they both lingered in. Vaun fumbled to stop him but was too slow and already the Roman was interrupting them.

Quinlan caught Lar's punch with ease and tossed him aside like a rag doll. Lar tripped over the sudden contact but didn't fall. He hissed at the Born. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Since you lot are incapable of taking care this properly, that's why." He snipped at the _strigoi_ , holding out a hand for Rae to take.

Her face was red both from exertion and embarrassment but she grabbed on, getting to her feet.

"Thanks..." She mumbled, dusting herself off.

"As if we need help from the likes of you." Lar quipped.

Rae's eyebrows shot up at the _strigoi's_ words. She meekly glanced to see how Quinlan took it. His pale face was impassive as ever. Almost two thousands years and of course he'd perfect the poker face, Rae felt dumb to think the Born would be outwardly upset if he was at all.

"By the growing with every minute of our cousins then yes, I'd say you do." Quinlan rumbled, looking away from Lar to Rae.

"I'll be out of your way momentarily." He voiced over his shoulder, icy eyes glued to her fidgeting form.

She was the most timid creature he had meet recently, Quinlan swore. But he had witnessed what happened when her anger was invoked so that wasn't entirely true.

Lar churred but did nothing to stop the dhampir, turning away to give them privacy. He'd be very unwise to try. Vaun watched from the dark corner he had hid himself in, anxious with each passing silent moment.

"What has my little brother done this time to put your bond in such a sorry state?" Quinlan questioned.

Rae pursed her thin lips. "Nothing..."

Quinlan shook his head. "He offered the same reply. Do not be childish, tell me."

She began to explain, head dipped, fingers rubbing, and talking lowly. Quinlan could hear her no problem, except he hated when she did this. He gently forced her neck to unbend so she would look him in the eye. Rae fumbled more with her sentences, gaze still flickering here and there but coming back to him.

Often he had told her to carry herself more confidently but his advice seemed to fall on deaf ears.

After her explanation was done, Quinlan sighed heavily causing his stinger to rattle. "Thank you."

Lar stood with his arms crossed. "Can we resume now, _Born_?" He spat the title.

"You can go back to treating her like a punching bag, yes." Quinlan said, throwing him a look that made Lar switch his red and black gaze to the ground.

He passed Vaun purposely to urge the younger dhampir to follow. Rae and Lar had continued in the background.

"Um, I'd rather not..."

"Oh, be quiet, it doesn't hurt that bad!"

Vaun was by his right side in a second. "What'd she tell you?

Quinlan said nothing but simply whacked him upside his thick skull.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me! Sooner than you think will our rolls be stuck back together!


	22. Chapter 22

**Red Hook**

The rag tag team of doctors, an exterminator, professor and hacker all lingered below the hidden basement Setrakian had converted into a room of weapons and artifacts based on _strigoi_.  Zach Goodweather, a curious yet headstrong child, wandered about peeking into every nook and cranny his little brown eyes could see.

Ephraim, his father had smacked his hand away from sharp objects at least ten times with a less than stern warning not to touch them again. This earned a nasty scowl from the young boy as did most of his father's actions did. No one besides Nora intervened much with that small brewing storm.

Dutch Velders, the expert in computer skills avoided the kid like the plague. She never was one for children, her mind unable to wrap around the maternal need to have her own drooling and snotty spawn. Her long fingers tapped away in a blur of codes only seen in her mind's eye, ignoring most of the surrounding world.

Her brain wired into the mission she had been tasked by the doctor and old man. He had been going on and on about getting a proper warning out there to the unaware citizens of New York. Dutch rolled her mint eyes. Even if she did manage to steal a fraction of minutes to give Goodweather, would it really matter? Those pink lips curved into a Cheshire grin.

Not really, no, but she did get what she loved to do: give the system the ol' middle finger.

Dutch had the mindset to spit on what the universe or God- whatever, planned for her. She was a woman of chaos and enjoyed every single unplanned course she meandered down. No ties, no trail to leave behind except the breadcrumbs she wanted to be discovered. Velders was the charter of her own damn fate.

And these blood sucking things were not about to get in the way of pivoting this out of her control.

Her smoky gaze did however, flicker over to the big man that had been so captivated by her explanation of self. She grinned shyly. If Dutch did have one piece to thank this undead apocalypse for, it was that piece of prince charming.

Snickering to herself, Dutch refocused on the path ahead. First, set up a network and establish a link between her own source and a satellite. Then plug this here and there, get the doc a script and off they went.

Easy peasy really, she twirled a golden lock around knuckle. They needed to make a quick run for some supplies, wires and such before she could much further. Maybe snag some food too…

"Fet," She called with a sing song tone, knowing the big ol' teddy bear would follow her anywhere. "Care to join me on a run, love?"

His dark eyes lit up like a Christmas, the poor guy. He of course agreed and came right along. She slid on her grey knit beanie and they were gone, out into the cold evening.

* * *

Lar had surprisingly left her alone after Quinlan's interference the other day, which her muscles were extremely grateful for, but she hadn't seen any of them since then either. So she just sat on her pallet, thumbs jabbing away at buttons on her handheld system.

Rae had brought it in case... well, honestly she had nabbed it out of habit.

One or two items had been snatched for familiarity, to remind herself of better times if things went south with this invasion. Lar's attitude towards it was indifferent. He had said it was bound to happen, this war impending near a millennia and now it has finally begun. She hoped this wouldn't turn out badly. But was there a point beyond return?  

Rae hadn't outwardly voiced much questions about this vamp turf war, but she had thought it foolish of the Ancients, so revered in their _wisdom_ , not to stop it before hand. Hell, in the grand scheme of things, wouldn't it have been for all the innocent lives lost so far that this nipped already? She huffed, her blood pressure rising. She selected an attack without care.

What did she know? She was just a mortal after all. What could she truly comprehend?

The _strigoi_ , even Lar used the term so scathingly, like it was a curse word or insult. Rae understood humanity as a whole had fucked up a lot, but that didn't mean every individual deserved this mass horror. Her move missed the opponent, no effect. Rae rolled her eyes.

"Bloody hell..." She breathed in and out in a dramatic way.

Her mood was sour. Her body was sore. She was already so damn tired! And this now childish mess she and Vaun created didn't make it any better off. It merely wore her down more, making Rae feel like a toy chugging on a near dying battery; slow and sluggish but trying still. She sagged against the slightly damp wall.

"Why is life so complicated, buddy?" She asked her furry friend who lay curled next to her leg.

He peeped one eye open and let out a snoring sigh, then shut his eye.

"Thanks for the advice..." Rae mumbled sarcastically, returning her vague attention back to the match.

The pair sat in silence from then on, except for the tapping of buttons and low melody of music coming from the game. The lull of false peace was broken by the telltale rumble of her stomach. Rae pouted.

She was hungry but was trying to be careful of going through her rations. Rae had an awful habit of snacking when she got bored. Her current predicament had proven to be... stressful. Plus, she hadn't packed the best of foods. Or possessing anything like that in the first place.

If she didn't find more and healthier variety, she'd been thinner than a rail soon. Well, more waifish than she already appeared. Her own body liked to torture itself it always seemed.

Pursing her lips, Rae ignored the empty feeling her stomach. She could wait. Maybe she'd find a way to go out and buy some more on her own. It couldn't be that up there yet, could it?

Eventually the video game became more of a chore rather than a diversion to her restless mind. Slapping the handheld device closed, Rae sighed and stretched out on the cot. Bones popping here and there. She slumped a bit. That felt mildly better.

Nothing felt to ease her physical and emotional pain for long. The absence of the bond thing, Quinlan called it, was like a pulsing ache. Her thoughts reeled back to Vaun. Was he feeling this too? Well, she for one was getting tired of this.

Rae hadn't caught a glimpse of him besides his voice the other day or night. She was losing track of what was what anymore. If she didn't have her cellphone, Rae would totally be out of whack for time.

Shaking her head at that ridiculous sentence, Rae wondered if Quinlan knew where Vaun was hiding.

Mustering up some courage, Rae picked up her items and stuffed them neatly back into the bag. Once that was placed under her bed, she gave Thor a loving pat as she passed to exit. The door opened to reveal that familiar and unwavering darkness that flooded the entire underground. Save for the dim lights implanted high on the walls, the halls were pitch black.

Rae favorite choice of genre for movies and games was Horror. She got a wicked thrill out being spooked and this place did not disappoint. Her eyes constantly played tricks on her, fooling her into believing the shadows were moving or maybe the Hunters were actually the shadows.

Or the Ancients, she shivered. Rae picked up the pace. Did those sacks of dust even move?

Yet to master the many winding paths throughout this sanctum, Rae found it extremely easy to get lost. Lar kept a firm pace and didn't allow much sight seeing on their way to the training area. Each turn felt like she was getting farther from her intended destination.

The ongoing strips of low light and darkness looked all the same. Every door unmarked or breaking the chain of similarity. The air itself felt heavy with the dense silence, rust, and faint odor of ammonia.

Rae had a faint idea how _strigoi_ bodies worked and honestly, it was gross. Her nose wrinkled a bit at the smell. But _Aliens_ were gross too and she liked them. Except the facehuggers.

**Fuck. Those. Things.**

The perplexed mortal was jarred from her imaginings of finger like legs fanning out and jumping like a damn spider by a sudden and unyielding mass blocking her search. She nearly lost her footing from the ricochet by the blunt force. Rae opened her mouth to apologize, thinking that she had run into Lar or hopefully Quinlan but her jaw clamped shut when she realized who- what she bumped into.

The shadow in front of her moved like ink, smooth and free. Angling its head to glance over its shoulder and down to her eye level. Rae swallowed uneasily. Damn it.

A Hunter had somehow let her run smack dab into it. The creature stared at her through the pair of what she guessed to be goggles. She could faintly make out its burning red eyes. A cowl covered its entire face, leaving no trace of flesh bare.

It stood mere inches from her, not moving a muscle. Thing hadn't even made the trademarks noises that she heard echo from Vaun. What was wrong with it?

Vaun had told her when they arrived these _strigoi_ would not harm her. They were chosen to fight and were kept on solid leashes, not acting without command. Rae pondered if they a figment of who they used to be under there. If they could communicate like Lar.

"Um, can you understand me?" She asked quietly, trying not to spook it or something.

Finally a sign it was alive in a way when its chest expanded slightly, releasing the clicking sound. That masked face gave away nothing. It just remained still and staring. Then, its head twitched violently.

She'd take that as a yes...?

"Okaaaaay. Uh, do you know where Quinlan is? Lar?" Rae tried again.

More statue behavior, unmoving and quiet. Its head cocked to the right as if processing her words. Rae flinched when she heard it inhale deeply and a rumble escaped afterwards.

Oh shit. Oh shit.

Rae began to panic but desperately tried to keep calm. Lar had given her warning earlier about confronting the Hunters. He said running only enticed them, igniting the hunt.

It took a step forward.

Fuck! She backpedaled without thinking, but kept her wide gaze locked on the solider _strigoi_. It paused, gloved fingers curling and uncurling.

'Get a hold of yourself! Don't freak out and maybe it'll chill!' Rae's brain argued with her instincts to bolt.

Another step was taken, the boot fall bouncing off the cement walls. Rae sucked in a breath and planted her feet firmly. She was not going to run like a quivering kid! She straightened her spine and refused to break eye contact with it.

It stopped its advance with her bravado. Her brown eyes blinked a couple of times, confused. What the hell? Was it just trying to... scare her? Rae forbid her muscles to make any sudden movements in case it set the Hunter off again.

She spoke too soon as it rattled and clicked, darting towards her. Rae clasped her hands over her mouth to cage the terrified shriek that wanted to escape. A gentle rush of wind hit her but that was all.

It took a moment for her brain to realize the Hunter stopped centimeters from her person. It dipped its head, a raspy chuckle emitting from it. Did it find this funny?! 'Cause she must've missed the punchline!

Slowly it drew closer to her face, those crimson orbs now set ablaze like molten steel. Rae felt as if the air around them turned stale, like life itself had been drained out of it. It captured her frantic sight with its own mesmerizing glare.

 **We have forgotten how... amusing you humans can be.** The Hunter growled, it's voice split into three overlapping tones. Flaming eyes scrutinized her. **Perhaps we were wrong about you.**

Icy fear frosted her spine. Could the Ancients speak through their coven? Through every _strigoi_? Were they able to invade and control Vaun like that?

 _Stand down!_ A telepathic voice vibrated off the contours of the Hunter's mind so loudly it boomed inside Rae's. She grimaced at the sound, being absent from the ability for a period.

Quinlan's form broke through the shadowy curtain and quickly removed the _strigoi_ from her personal space when it did not comply. He had a tight grip on the Velcro jacket it wore as he forced the Hunter backward. The dhampir's crooked fangs were bared under the dim light.

"Return to your pack. **Now**." He ordered it, a threatening growl following.

It sagged in his iron grasp like a puppet on loose strings. The Hunter trilled at the Born, turning its head this way and that like it was confused.  Quinlan cared less and shoved it off, hissing. It sulked and disappeared to where it's group prowled.

Shaking his bald head at the retreating _strigoi,_ Quinlan faced her. "You must stay clear of them if you're alone, Rae. Even a chained dog can still bite." His frosty blue eyes were narrow. Did he know the Ancients had their claws in its mind?

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." Rae released the shuddering breath she had been unknowingly holding. Her sight blurred with forming tears. She blinked them into place. "Uh, how'd you know where I was? I don't even know where I am."

"I heard you speak my name." He said as if the feat was simple.

Her eyes grew to the size of plates. "Heard me? From where??"

"Have you forgotten our sense are enhanced? I can hear for an impressive distance." Quinlan always half-assed answered everything.

Rae frowned. "Well, thanks anyway. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to aggravate it."

Quinlan scowled a bit at that. "You didn't. I believe it was occupied."

So they could tell if another was being used like a phone? Nice.

"However, that does not give you the excuse to go near them without Vaun or I." The Born repeated.

She denied the roll of her eyes. "I got ya."

"Good, as I see I've taken enough of you attention. Someone else is far more concerned." He nodded behind her.

Rae furrowed her brow and turned to see who was talking about. She gawked for a moment. Vaun was standing a few feet behind her, seemingly on the verge of losing it. Feeling like she hadn't seen in what felt like years, Rae greedily drank in his form.

His stance was rigid and red eyes nearly engulfed by the black iris. His gaze wasn't this intense with the guys from Halloween. Was he that upset over the Hunter stepping its bounds?

"Are you all right?" He asked, his eyes traveling over her body to find any injury.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Rae shook her mind free of the minor shock. "I don't think it was going to hurt me... thanks though."

Quinlan passed her then, saying. "I beat him by a few seconds." The taller Born ruffled Vaun's hood as he went by, teasing. "One day he'll be as fast as me."

"Do not." He growled, glaring daggers at Quinlan.

Rae slyly grinned at their sibling like relationship. Quinlan had a cold facade that she had only seen melt slightly when he was around Vaun. He was still very brisk and to the point with her. But she knew there was a man beneath the ice.

"I've always done as I like. It's a rather difficult habit to break after nearly two thousand years, brother." Quinlan quipped, vanishing ahead of them.

Vaun bared his fangs slightly at him before returning his focus to her. The pitch in his eyes had shrunk but not by much. His stinger rattled. "You need to be careful."

Rae stared at him in disbelief. After such a long silence that is what he was going to say??

Her expression grew annoyed. "I'm not a kid. You don't have to patronize me like one, thank you very much."

His mouth turned to a scowl, about to deepen the hole he just dug. "I am just trying to-" Vaun curled his fingers so tightly into a fist that Rae swore she heard the bones creek. "I'm sorry."

The words came out into a jumbled mess of growls that Rae almost missed it. He apologized. For what exactly? What he said recently or before? Hell, did it even matter?

She wanted one and she got it, right?

Raking her fingers through her no longer purple hair, Rae replied with one of her own. "I'm sorry too."

Those blown orbs had lessened yet still wide. He stared at her for passing seconds until he spoke again. "You... you have nothing to apologize for." Vaun waved her off.

"I didn't include your feelings in my decision." Vaun continued. "I... I worried more for your well-being than anything. Perhaps that was foolish, but it seemed the best action to take at the time."

"I can take care of myself." Rae crossed her thin arms over her chest. "The stunt I pulled back at my apartment qualifies me, I think.”

Vaun caught the joking tone of her voice. His mouth twitched against the smile trying to be.

“You were lucky and you know it.” He shot back teasingly.

Rae pouted. "Not uh! That took so much skill, even Quinlan would be jealous."

That poked something inside him and Vaun actually laughed out loud. His sharp teeth were completely visible. A gloved hand came up to attempt to muffle it.

Rae should've been repulsed by the slits that elongated the corner of his mouth, displaying more fang than should be possible, cracking open like a viper's; but she didn't care. She wasn't the norm of people. Her heart warmed.

She fucking missed that so much.

"I believe he would not be so envious of your... particular skill set." He said finally, after the amusement died down.

"Never know, he could be a total jelly bean over it." Rae shrugged.

Vaun looked lost at that. "Jelly bean is a candy, yes? How could... nevermind. I get it."

Rae beamed. She loved that they just seemed to pick up where they left off.

He sheepishly glanced at her. "May I..." His hand reached out but then receded back to his side. "Please?"

The desire to run up and jump into his arms was overwhelming. She didn't do such things, openly displaying emotions. But today for him, only him, she decided to give in.

* * *

Vaun didn't fully believe she'd be so open with him after his poor decisions yet here she was, settled between his thighs with her back to his chest, fiddling with her contraption. He had never been so shocked in his long life besides meeting Quinlan and probably would never be so again. The tension released his joints and he could finally relax.

He had been in a foul mind set since they had fought. His feeding became irregular and his actions uncontrolled. A more sound and solid piece of him had been chipped off when their bond faded. But now, that was fixed. Vaun purred, relishing in the feel of her against him.

He greedily inhaled her scent, deprived far too long of it.

"Hey, ease up on the sniffing." Rae nudged his ribs, grinning.

"I'm sorry. I've missed you." He told her, even though he had been quite close to her the entire time.

Vaun had shadowed her steps, keeping near in case something went wrong like the recent incident or the preferred notion of just having her from afar. He was at least able to take in her scent and watch her. Something he discovered that was enjoyable.

Rae was a joy to see from a different perspective. He loved the way her face scrunched up when she got annoyed or confused. The always recurring habit of rubbing her fingers when she grew nervous or dazed. It was little things he had missed during their time at her home.

He also discovered, although it was saddening when she walked away, the sway of her hips was rather interesting. Vaun caught himself staring and grew ashamed over it. Why such a thing caught and restrained his gaze was utterly confounding.

"Hey, I was going to ask but got distracted." Rae shifted in her place, twisting to look directly at him. Her hazel eyes studied him, worry lurking within them. "You look... exhausted."

Ah, he figured she would notice sooner or later. "It is nothing you need to fuss over."

She pursed her lips. "Look, it's more than that." Rae completely changed her position to where she knelt between his legs now, arms reaching up.

Her soft fingers gently traced his jaw. "You seem older? And what the hell happened there?" Her thumb brushed over the bone of his brow where a new scar lingered.

Damn it all. "You're observant." He pointed out with a lopsided grin.

"Well duh! I'm not a total ditz. Seriously. Are you sick? Can you even get sick??" Rae went off in her rambles fused with her fretting. Vaun found it amusing when she did this.

He placed a single finger to her lips. "Rae, one at a time."

She huffed. " _Are you sick_?"

It always rounded back to sickness with her. She took precautions like any other human against illness but sometimes Vaun felt it was a bit extreme. Rae even kept tabs on the dog. He'd ask her why later.

"No, nor can I contract any disease of any sort." Vaun told her, his hands no longer idle at his sides. His fingers now curved around her legs, tracing the seams in the material.

"Then what's up?" She pressed.

He thought about trying to make her drop it but knew she would probably remember at a more difficult time. Vaun sighed, relenting. "I kept myself in poor condition during our... spat."

Her gaze narrowed. "You barely ate, didn't you?"

"Unfortunately, my mind was not in a stable place." He had been childish and paid the price for it. His body ached with the thirst and stung from the fresh scar.

"Okay then, go do what you gotta do I guess." She rose off his legs but he stopped her.

"No no! It's fine. I hardly notice it." It was not a whole truth. His very bones hurt and his energy was almost spent, but he didn't want to let her go yet. Being with her eased it.

Her face told him she did not believe it. "Please? I wish to stay." God she reduced him to begging? Damn it. Pitiful.

Rae's features softened and she returned to her previous spot. Her eyes pointed to his brow.

"Where'd you get that?"

Hmm, he did not exactly want to disclose that cringeworthy falter on his part. As Vaun said, he wasn't in the clearest of thoughts and unwisely lashed out. He shrugged, tugging on her belt loop.

"It was a mistake."

"Mhm," She crossed her arms and leaned against his forehead until he would answer.

Vaun attempted to distract her by nuzzling her face and neck but it proved ineffective. She didn't return any of the affection and just stared him down, waiting. The dhampir hissed.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I just might have to kick their butt, that's why."

If Vaun could become any paler he might have. "That would be extremely unhealthy... and highly unlikely." He chuckled.

"You pissed off Q, didn't you?" Rae accused.

Vaun flinched. "He... I struck him when he tried to get me to drink. And I got a warning."

"I guess that's pretty subtle for him." She murmured, gently tracing the curved mark that cut through his eyebrow.

"Yes, for him very much so." He replied.

Vaun trembled slightly when he felt her breath ghost over it. The flesh a tid bit sensitive yet as it meshed back together only a day ago.

"Does it still hurt?" She asked, lips hovering just over the skin.

Almost immediately he told her no but felt a stirring that changed his mind.

"A little, yes." He trembled when her mouth brushed against the scar, kissing it softly.

She repeated this gesture twice before moving away. Grinning, Rae inquired. "Better?"

The Born bit his inner lip before saying. "No..."

Her cheeks flushed a light pink, tucking her hair behind an ear. His gaze flew to the floor, unable to look at her with his climbing embarrassment. He then felt her body dip closer to him, her mouth pressed a kiss on the corner of his eye. Vaun restrained his need to twitch, gripping onto her thighs for an anchor.

She continued her journey. A kiss just under his ear. He dug his fingers further into her legs. His cheek, trailing over to the slit corner of his mouth. Vaun's purr stuttered as he felt her tongue dip slightly between the separated flesh. When the Born thought he couldn't take it anymore, her lips finally touched his.

He groaned lowly, grasping her hips to ensure she would not move. Vaun no faint idea of just how much he missed her, feeling, hearing, all of it. She grinned when he moved his lips against her own. The bond was slowly returning to it's original state. He could feel her then not so much.

Vaun gripped her tightly to him as a similar sensation sparked in veins like that night in her apartment. Gentle hums pulsed through his system, kindling a small fire in his nerves making her touch set him ablaze. He moaned against her warm mouth. His pace changing with a hint of desperation.

The aching thirst in his body felt numb as the need for her eclipsed it entirely. Vaun still did not fully comprehend these snips of emotion that trailed into him from her but maybe he would unravel that mystery now. Rae squeaked when he crushed her into his chest further. He took that as an excuse to depart her swollen lips and trail south.

Her little breathy gasps and flinching muscles spurred him on. Such delightful noises he could make her emit. Vaun peppered chaste touches over her pale throat, nipping roughly on her pulse then licking it in half apology as he greatly enjoyed her startled groan.

The Born felt in a daze, replying solely on instinct that lay dormant within him as he tugged down the elastic rim of her T-shirt and marked along her collarbone; each sound Vaun earned enticing this need.

Through that fog Vaun wondered why he was even doing this. His previous questioning of whether or not Rae desired him had already been answered before this. Her reaction in October had told him then. This cause and effect merely solidified that that was no mistake.

_Abomination._

He winced. _Why would she want such a thing?_

 _A monster in every way possible_. Vaun shut his eyes and tried to block out the torturous voices of self loathing and disgust that were always in the darkest part of his mind. Always haunting him, lurking behind every corner.

"Vaun? You okay?" Rae's concerned voice wedged itself between the turmoil. "We can stop. I didn't mean to get so carried away..." She sounded hurt, as if she were unwanted or forcing herself on him.

GOD DAMN IT.

"No. No. It's-" _Unfavorable_. He growled at this humiliation. This was ludicrous! But that rumbling statement to himself did nothing.

What could he tell her? Would it even solve anything?

"You look like you're gonna panic or something!" Rae cupped his face, tilting his gaze to meet her worried one.

Vaun sighed, stinger rattling behind it. "I am just a fool." He nuzzled into her palms, calming in her grasp while it lasted.

"What? I don't-" Her form cringed as a grumbling noise echoed from her stomach. She drew in her lips, eyes casting to the left as he glared at her.

"So I get patronized for not eating while you commit the same?" He thought she looked peaked.

"You're different." Rae pouted, drawing away from him.

"Hardly! Rae you can't do this to yourself!" Vaun frowned, upset that she allowing herself wither.

"I'm trying to be careful with my food, that's all." She shrugged.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. It made sense but such small rations for her would not bode well. Eventually she'd get weak or worse. The state above was not well and getting her medical help would take too long.

"Rae," He began but was cut short by a curt knock. Lar stepped in, his eyes flicking between her and him with a slight bemusement. Vaun snarled. " _What_?"

"You have orders. Our handler will be at the docks within the hour and the candidate shall too be there." He informed.

Hmm, maybe fate did favor in this after all. They did need more Sun Hunters and Rae was no where near ready yet. This also offered him a chance to gather Rae more supplies while they were available.

Out of reflex, Vaun said, _Up._  Slowly rising for her to get off.

To his surprise and relief, Rae had heard him and replied with her own mental comply. She hopped off his lap and went over to the small cabinet to fiddle with something. He knew she hated being idle and preferred to have her attention directed elsewhere when she was not involved in the conversation.

"There are more instructions, Vaun." Lar smirked.

Vaun glared at the _strigoi_. "Out with it then."

"Your female goes."


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! I lost the first draft of this chapter that was nearly complete and found myself devastated for a bit. Then as usual, life shoved its obnoxious face in mine... So forgive me!! I had no intention of keeping this from you all for three weeks. But hey, SIXTEEN PAGES GUYS! Whoot whoot. :3
> 
> I want to thank every single one of you for leaving such kind words and reaching out in other forms. It is your comments that give this fic and myself life. :)

Vaun glowered at the _strigoi_ , his lip curling. "She _stays_."

Lar shrugged and crossed his hands before him. "The Ancients demand that she earn her place. None here can dismiss their wishes."

Rae glanced over her shoulder, hands idle within the bag. He could feel her nervousness fill the air. 

"She is not going." He ground out. "Rae is not collateral."

Evidently the _strigoi_ did not care if he pressed Vaun's buttons or not. Instead, he continued on. "Would you rather her die up there, or be made to watch them tear her limb from limb?"

A savage snarl ripped from his throat before he could control himself. He advanced quickly on the offending _strigoi_ and hoisted Lar by the collar, shoving him harshly into the metal door. A series of startled and enraged rattles and clicks were given at this unexpected reaction by the dhampir. 

Lar sneered at him. "You'd attack me over a human??"

Thor peeked his golden head from beneath the cot at the angry noises. His beady brown eyes wide. 

"Do not threaten her." Vaun growled venomously at Lar, ignoring his balking question.

"I was not insinuating a threat, merely reminding you of what is possible." He spat. "You half-breeds seem to forget you are  _ not _ above me or the Old Ones."

Vaun hissed lowly, his grip growing hard like iron. "And  _ you _ seem to forget your own place, Lar."

The vampire hissed, eyes bleeding pitch in rage. Vaun went to snap at him again but felt a small hand settle on the square of his back. He glanced over his shoulder. Rae was standing behind him, suddenly paler than usual.

" _ Chill out _ . He's only doing what he's supposed to, even if that implies being an ass." She muttered dryly, frowning at Lar.

"He still has no right to-" Her glare sufficed in silencing him. "Fine." Vaun relented, dropping Lar back on his feet.

"Enough with the social ladder bull, both of you are being idiots." Vaun frowned, oddly ashamed of his behavior. "I'll do what needs to be done. I don't care. No need to throw a hissy fit." She pursed her lips, gaze flicking back and forth between them.

The  _ strigoi  _ straightened his uniform, scowling at the pair. "I did not come here to be lectured, especially by a human."

"Yeah, well, I didn't sign up for this Sun Hunter shit willingly either." Yet another dark look was cast his way. Vaun crossed his arms, refusing to be guilted any further.

Thor padded up once the air calmed and stood in front of Lar, curled tail wagging happily. Vaun was floored. Why did he act so nicely to the bastard but tried to kill him?! Rae snickered behind her jacket's sleeve.

"What is it doing?" He asked, truly lost at the dog's friendly behavior.

Rae shrugged, unknowing herself. "Happy to see you for some reason."

Lar curled a lip at the animal's cheerful demeanor. "It stinks."

"Uh, dogs typically do. He hasn't had a bath since we got here. Shower freaks him out." She explained, hands on her hips.

Her companion wiggled in his seated position, anxious. Vaun rolled his eyes. Traitorous creature! Rae noticed his annoyance. "Try to pet him now. Maybe he turned over a new leaf.” She encouraged.

Vaun looked at her with doubt but attempted contact anyway. His hand wasn't an inch near Thor's head before the dog craned its neck and snarled viciously, teeth bare and all. He snarled back, retreating from it. 

Lar apparently found it extremely amusing.

"It may smell horrible but it surely provides entertainment." He chuckled. "I like this furry thing. What is it called?"

"Thor." "Fleabag." Vaun received another glower. He sulked now. Lar was uprooting all his progress.

"A strong name. I'll be around when you two return." 

Lar shut the door behind him, leaving Vaun dumbfounded. He looked at Rae, perplexed.

"When did  _ that _ happen?" The Born asked exasperatedly, gesturing to Thor and the no longer present  _ strigoi.  _

"Good question," Rae mumbled.

* * *

Night had washed over the New York in a blanket of starless pitch and freezing wind. Rae watched from the passenger seat in mostly silence, save for the rattling clicks of the three Hunters settled in the rear. This was the first time coming back to surface since Vaun had brought here a week ago.

Morbid curiosity welled up. What should she expect to see? Corpses lining the curbs? Blood running through the drains?

Instead what she was greeted with was... what she had pretty much left in the beginning.

People still tread the concrete paths, at least the few who dared to walk in the dark. Shops and restaurants glowed with business for the late hour. If anything on the surface changed, it would be the increase of cardboard signs posted here and there warning of the impending apocalypse and missing people flyers. 

One particular post was almost completely covered in them. 

Nothing like the horrid scenarios she had imagined when first climbing into the SUV. Neither Vaun or Lar had given her much detail on the condition of the city, so it left much to the imagination. Perhaps the _strigoi_ weren't spreading as much as Vaun perceived.

She leaned a bit closer to the tinted window, adjusting the seat belt that cut slightly into her neck. The further they drove into the city, the more Rae recognized. It was the stretch before the long bridge that connected one section of New York to the other. 

Here the area took a different, more darker turn.

The current of nightly wanderers thinned noticeably. Shops were dim or utterly black with the doors wide open or windows smashed. Sheets of paper drifted in the chill breeze with numerous missing faces. In the depths of the alleyways, she flinched back from the glass, three pairs of crimson eyes flashed.

Gulping, Rae shifted nervously in her seat. The firearm resting on the tops of her thighs felt like a couple of bricks. Vaun had given her the gun when they entered the garage, insisting that she carry it just in case.

Hunting was not a sport partaken in her family. She had never really held an armed weapon besides the shotguns her grandfather had kept, and those were empty. Her knowledge of these things were either gained from various video game titles or books. 

Dread and anxiety dropped into her stomach like an icy rock. It sent toxic doubt through her veins, causing to her freeze as chaotic thoughts ran rampant. Did Vaun really expect her to handle this properly?

Lar had barely taught how her to fight hand to hand. Aiming and firing this was another feat in itself. What if Rae did find herself in a situation that had no other option than to use it?

Fear lodged itself in her throat. 

What if she couldn't pull the trigger or worse miss entirely? She'd be bitten, infected. Vaun's words from her arrival echoed in her ears.

**"I have lost many Sun Hunters."**

She cast him a pitiful yet subtle glance through her short bangs. How many humans has he had to put down like dogs? How many people did he have to look in the face and kill that he had grown to perhaps call them a comrade of sorts? 

Her breath hitched. What if she did become infected? What would that do to him?

The dhampir looked to her, worried. His red eyes glued to her semi-hunched form. Rae felt their bond buzz with his prying. 

_ Are you alright? _

Unable to trust her voice from breaking, Rae nodded barring her mind from such horrible musings. She heard his gloves tighten around the steering wheel. It was foolish to try and hide her feelings. He'd detect them faster than she could cover them up. Just like she already knew he didn't buy her pathetic response.

Her light brown eyes fell downward as they crossed the bridge. The water looked so endless when night descended. The surface faintly glistening with the reflection of nearby sources of light. Ahead was the dock they were going to.

From this distance Rae could make out the multiple crates lined up in dozens of rows. A lone trailer near the water's edge, a single light on inside. Lar had mentioned meeting someone here. Well, at least one thing about vampires were true: they had their connections.

Vaun rolled the vehicle to a stop near the chain link fence surrounding the place, cutting off the lights. He strapped his gloves again before giving out a verbal order to the Hunters. "Out."

The three obeyed, each filing out in a neat fashion. Rae unbuckled and did the same before Vaun tried to talk her about stupid human fears. Shutting the door as quietly as possible, she turned only to be gently pushed back into the door. Her spine hit it with a dull thud.

"What is troubling you?" Vaun had made it around the SUV and pinned her here before she even made it inches away.

She frowned, not liking the sudden pressure. "It's nothing, okay? I just... got myself worked up."

"Over what?" He pressed, not letting her duck him.

Her mouth screwed closed tightly. Why did he have to be curious now? She wanted to get this over with as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"Nothing." She hissed through gritted teeth, lightly pressing her hands into his warm chest in attempt to make him move.

"It is not merely nothing or I would have not felt such fear from you." Vaun countered, eclipsing his hands over her own. 

"Move." She growled, shoving against him harder. Of course his body did not, her strength barely made him sway.

He chuckled. "I do not mean to be condescending but this futile... and cute."

Her face reddened more both with anger and embarrassment. Grunting with frustration, Rae leaned back on the car with her arms crossed over her breasts. "Stop bugging me."

His amusement faded. "I don't intend to bug you Rae, I am merely trying to understand why you felt such a thing."

The tears came back, pricking at the corners of her eyes. Rae tucked her chin into her coat, hiding her crumbling gaze. She mumbled into the material. "I'm gonna fuck up."

Vaun clicked, his head turning left and right. His brow was pinched in confusion. "For once I had an issue making out your words. Speak up, love." He gently grasped her jaw, propping it up to made sure she looked at him. 

Her bottom lips trembled as she was forced to repeat it. "I'm afraid I'll fuck up."

The Born rolled his red and black eyes at her language, but brushed the beginning trails of her tears away with his thumb. "Don't cry, Rae. You'll do just fine."

He spoke with such confidence that it only made Rae feel worse. "How do you know? I've never done this!" She gestured to the area and her person with frantic hands. 

A rolling growl rumbled from his chest as he turned his head to the left. "It is wrong to have faith in you?"

Rae nibbled on the inner flesh of her bottom lip. Not a whole lot of people put their total confidence in her. Her appearance rarely helped that front when it came to most things, so frail and small looking. She didn't know how to respond to that really. 

A very faint light of stubbornness that lead her throughout most of her life flickered. 

Her brows furrowed. "Maybe? I don't bloody know."

"Well, I can tell you what I know." He said, brushing some of her wild hair out behind her ears. 

"You're capable, tenacious, brave and clever when you put your mind to it."

That flare grew brighter at his words but she pursed her lips, thinking he was referring to what happened back at the apartments. "I was lucky, remember?"

That purr of his rumbled between them now at their close proximity, sending a shiver down her spine. "A skill Quinlan would be envious of, yes?" He rubbed his nose against her forehead playfully. "Joking aside Rae, I am absolutely serious. I have the utmost confidence in you."

"..." She didn't return the affectionate gesture. 

"If that does not entirely reassure you then perhaps my promise to be always be there when you need me shall suffice?" Vaun added. 

"That's impossible, even for you." Rae rebuked the silly idea. 

Vaun was super fast but he couldn't be in more place than one. One day, they'd fail each other and the blame would most likely rest on her shoulders more than his. She was just mortal, not some superhero who could stop bullets. In the end, it'd be her fault.

"Maybe... yet I am more than willing to try." He reassured. "I'll be there to calm your fear. Soothe your worries. Anything. I'll be at your side whenever, however, you need me."

That flustered Rae quite a bit. "Je-Jesus Vaun, you saying stuff like we're getting engaged or something!?"

This caused the dhampir to appear quite distressed. His hands fidgeted, unsure what to do with themselves. "The bond, that is how- never mind. We'll discuss it later."

He removed himself from caging her body with his form and rounded the vehicle in a hurry. Vaun opened the rear door, seconds later it slammed shut and he was back with a familiar weapon she hadn't seen for a hot minute. 

"That's your gun?" She asked, head leaning to the side to study it.

She had seen it once in the apartment but never did again. And then, it had blended in so well with his dark attire Rae could hardly differentiate where the gun actually was. Thing was bigger than she imagined, awkward almost.

He nodded, obviously proud of it. "I modified it myself. It's ammunition unique to what the Hunters carry. I designed it to fire stakes instead of regular bullets." His eyes were a bit brighter in his moment, nearly glowing with a sense of accomplishment. 

Stakes? Rae blinked a few times in astonishment. She didn't even know they could be forged to be used as proper ammunition. Whatever works…

Rae grinned. "It's bloody huge, dude."

He checked it over, slightly confused. "It's size is not disproportionate. It fits me just fine." 

The joke flew over his head only to add more amusement for Rae. She laughed behind her palm, mirth inspired by the growing confusion on his face. 

Vaun pouted, realization checking in. "That was meant as a joke, yes? It wasn't funny."

The young woman shook her head, inwardly giggling at the adorable expression he wore. 

"Sorry sorry, I'll be quiet." Rae pulled her hoodie over her hair and placed the gun in the holster tied to her thigh. She waited for him, lips pressed firmly to hide her mirth. Vaun growled lowly and walked ahead, not looking to see if she followed.

She caught up to the group of vampires, almost missing them thanks to their black clothes camouflaging them perfectly. Rae kept close to Vaun as the other Hunters were her nervous since the encounter with the possessed one. She didn't trust the Ancients not to take one over and kill her or something.

They kept close to the cast shadows made by the florescent lights, keeping out of sight. Vaun's acute hearing had picked up on something Rae was unable to. The Hunters stayed in a tight line and did nothing besides chitter and grumble lowly until the Born rose his hand, closed into a fist. They all stopped at his silent command. 

Rae inched forward carefully to see if she could get a glimpse of what had caused Vaun to cease moving. With her height, she could barely peek past Vaun's shoulder which kept being shoved in her face and forcing her to move back. She glared at him.

"What the hell? I want to see." Rae hissed under her breath, trying to squeeze by.

_ Wait.  _ His voice was in her mind again. _ I want to see how this plays out. _

Great, just raise the bar higher on her curiosity. She reigned in her childish need to look and remained still until the voices grew louder. 

"We need a key, like I said before." An exasperated voice said. 

A gunshot rang out like a clap of thunder causing Rae to momentarily lose her grip. She let a gasp and jumped a few inches off the ground. Vaun twisted around with concerned yet hard eyes. 

"My bad..." Rae whispered, tugging her purple hood down over her face. 

"What the shit, man?!" Rusty hinges squeaked as the door slowly popped open. 

It was silent for awhile until hollers rang out over the telltale noises of  _ strigoi. _ The pack shuddered and growled, enticed by the presence of others. Vaun hissed as Rae heard gunfire blast and screeches die. They did not budge until after a combination of ten shots echoed. 

_ Go. _ The order washed over all of them and the Hunter moved out in graceful yet lethal pace. Whatever got in their way, Rae knew, wouldn't find a happy ending. 

She managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of a huge mass of _strigoi_ and two men before Vaun hauled her back behind the crate. Rae squirmed in his grasp, whispering harshly. 

"What's the deal, Vaun? I'm supposed to help!" She argued, twisting this way and that but gaining no purchase of freedom from the dhampir. 

"You will, just not out there. I need someone to stay put here, a look out." He said, not taking a no for an answer.

Rae crossed her arms over her breasts. "What happened to believing in me, huh?!"

Vaun rattled."I do just... Keep the Spanish boy in your sight, all right? Do not let him get away."

She rose a balking brow. They were here for the shorter guy in the wind breaker? Rae gave in with a snort. "Whatever."

The Born gave her a sad look before dashing off to join the Hunters. Rae stuck her tongue out at his retreating shadow. 'Watch the Spanish kid', She mocked in his voice. All she turned out to be was a glorified babysitter…

Rae peeked carefully around the corner. The  _ strigoi _ was dropping like flies, each one crying out with each shot to the head or eye. A lot of those hits were just made by her vampire or his group either. She was flabbergasted when the darker skinned man turned on younger dude. Why shoot your teammate right this second?!

He ducked each bullet, cursing the man with every fire. The guy disappeared when the other advanced on his position. Shit!! Rae panicked for a moment then devious rebellion dawned. Vaun did say not to let the dude out of her sight.

Mustering up enough bravery, Rae hurriedly crossed the distance while trying to be unnoticeable as possible. White blood coated everything, caking the sides of the crates and pooling on the ground. She cringed. Gross.

Somehow Rae hadn't used up all of her luck as no rogue  _ strigoi _ sniffed her out. She made it to the last container she saw him vanish behind but no dude. Pouting, Rae crept further. He couldn't be that fast, could he??

In case she managed to locate him before Vaun or random vampire did, Rae took out her gun and carefully slid it into her coat pocket. The silly idea of maybe he wouldn't shoot an 'unarmed' person filtered through her head.

Her face beamed with glee as she discovered his hiding spot.

He was pressed firmly against the crate ahead, waiting or catching his breath. If she counted correctly, he had about two or three rounds left in the chamber. Rae may have never properly handled a gun but that didn't mean she was ignorant. 

She swallowed. Now or never.

* * *

Gus whirled on his heel when his gut told him somethin' was up. He turned just in time to see this short _chica_ sneakin' up on him. She made a face and stumbled back into the nearby crate. He scowled at her scramble and pointed the gun at her.

"The hell you doin' sneakin' up on me girl?" He asked, keeping the barrel aimed in her direction. 

Gus didn't want to shoot her. She looked just as afraid as he felt. Plus he only had two bullets left.

"I-I uh..." Her bright brown eyes kept glancing in either direction instead of answering his question.

He growled and advanced aggressively on her, pinning her into the steel box by her shoulders.  

Shit this girl was small! Her eyes grew frightfully wide behind those glasses that fogged up with the heat her face was givin' off. Her palms rose up quickly in surrender.

"I didn't mean to scare you, man! I just-" Gus increased the pressure in his grip, trying to keep in control. 

"I ain't scared!" He shouted definitely. "You just _loco_! Actin' all ninja on my ass when I got the gun girl!" Gus shook her a little again, attempting to rattle some sense in her head when a noised grabbed his attention.

A pistol lay on the wet ground, near her sneakers. His dark brown eyes glared at her. "That your's, Ninja?"

"Technically no, but-" He kicked it far to the side. "Well, it's definitely not mine now."

Gus shook his head at this girl and her attitude. "Where'd you get it?"

She frowned. "I found it."

Gus had lied enough in his short life to sniff out one. He cocked the gun and placed it against her temple. "I'mma ask you again, girl. Where'd you get the gun?"

This made her face scrunch in annoyance. "I got a name  _ boy _ , and it sure as hell isn't girl."

"Keep the attitude up, you'll find out where it'll get ya real quick." He threatened. Gus had enough bruises and scars on his body to know exactly where it'd get this  _ chica _ . 

In the faint light being cast off the lamps Gus saw a little more detail in the girl's face.

She was pale with wisps of dark brown hair sticking out here and there from her hood. Thin lips, thick eyebrows, not exactly his sought features but the three moles on the left side of her face made him wonder. They were almost like a crescent moon, curved inward. Did he know her from somewhere?

He shook off the curious itch. "Look, I ain't gonna repeat myself." He pressed the barrel harder into the vital part of her skull. 

Could he really do this? Gun down the girl in cold blood? Fuckin' conscious shit...

She wet her lips, considering. "I uh... got it from..."

A loud bang shook the crate her spine was glued to, vibrating through Gus' arm. He glanced up. Nothing but the dark sky.

What the hell was that? The gunfire had stopped from those goons in black, maybe it was Creem. He looked to the sides, nothing.

The chick swallowed, returning her gaze back to their level in a flash. There was a sudden nervousness flickering in her eyes. Did she see something?

"My boyfriend." She blurted out. "I got it from my boyfriend."

Figures, the boyfriend story. He rolled his eyes. "Sure," Gus said tilting the gun away, arms thrown out to the sides. "Where he at then?"

A deep growl rumbled from above, redirecting his attention from her now smirking face to one ugly motherfucker crouching on top of the container. Gus' eyes widened to the size of saucers at it, glaring at him like he stole its bone or somethin'. 

" _ ¿que demonios? _ "

Before he could step back and fire at the thing, a weird pressure happened in his leg. 

At first it was like his leg just fell asleep, that freaky tingling but then a flare of heat erupted. He shouted and jumped back to see a line of blood ooze into his jeans. Gus snapped his head to look at the girl, that smirk wiped away with guilt, who held a knife in her white knuckled grip.

"You- you fuckin' stabbed me!?" Gus yelled, limping away from her dangerous ass.

She fumbled with her words, waving the damn thing around like it was a spoon. " _ Sliced _ , big difference, believe me." She pointed the tip painted red with his blood at his injured limb and called. "'Cause you wouldn't be running away from me with a penetrating wound!"

The creature with the angry red eyes had jumped down to their level, stalking after him, not giving her a single glance. He bit back a snarl and stepped on it, ignoring the stinging pain. Gus almost made it past the crates when two other bastards in black grabbed him.

Creem was held by a single goon, another coming over with the intent to bag him.

A clicking sound came from over his shoulder. "Not him!  _ Him _ !" Gus was shoved between the shoulder blades with a rough hand. 

Series of rattles and clicks came from beneath those dark masks. Creem was released. The gangster displayed his hands up in surrender and didn't move a muscle to help.

Gus didn't expect any  never did but god damn, it would've been appreciated!

"Let go of me, assholes!" He hollered and twisted violently in their burning iron grip. One punched his wound. Gus buckled. " _ Fuck _ !"

"You'll see me again Creem!  _ Lo juro por Dios _ !" Gus swore before his vision went dark. 

He was kept in the dark of his surroundings but hadn't moved yet from his prior position. The pairs of firm hands encircled both his arms didn't budge either. Creem finally found the balls to speak.

"We- uh we good?" His tone trembled. Gus never heard the man's voice ever waver. 

The one who gave the order to nab him responded. "For now. Our deal is broken as you've made... other contracts. Should our paths cross again, expect no mercy."

Deal? Creem made an arrange to help out these things?! At the thought of it, Gus would have jostled once more but the adrenaline was winding down and giving way to the flaming cut in his thigh. 

"I feel you." Creem seemed to regain some calm. "We crystal clear."

He heard no reply and was pushed to gain momentum. Over the shuffle of his refusal to go wherever the hell it was they were takin' him, Gus heard the squeak of sneakers against the damp concrete follow.

He got shoved into a vehicle, locked between the guys that had a hold of him.

The door shut loudly but Gus could faintly hear voices outside.

"Where'd you get a knife?" It was the dude that spoke with Creem. He was talkin' to the ninja girl. 

"I erm... got it off the floor." She told him.

" _ The floor _ ."

"Yeah. I don't where it came from! Maybe of them dropped it." 

"That is highly unlikely they dropp-"

"Pfft, you're kidding. They just screwed up which guy to take!"

The sigh expelled was defeated. "Get in the car."

Gus thrashed again when the two entered the front. He seemingly went ignored as the engine fired to life and the car sped up until the girl spoke up. 

"He seems a tad upset." Really? Because Gus thought he was overreacting... NO SHIT!

"Thanks Captain Obvious!" He spat earning a punch not from on his sides but from the front,right in the meat of his shoulder. Did the driver just really turn around to hit him?

"Shut up." Yup, that act of violence just came from Mr. Gravely voice. "And you, don't talk to him again."

"I wasn't talking to him. I just made an observation." She quipped, returning to face forward judging by her voice.

He heard another sigh. "I swear to every known god... All of you be quiet!"

The things beside him stuttered in the freaky growling noises they made. One sounded like it nearly choked. This was gonna be one hell of a weird ride...

* * *

They arrived back underground without anymore slurs or cuss words from their apprehended friend. Rae stifled a yawn as the adrenaline rush settled down, leaving her slightly drained. Vaun glanced at her.

_ You can rest. I'll take care of him. _

His voice in her head shook her awake. She dipped her fingers under the glasses and rubbed the fatigue from her drooping vision. "It's okay. I'll help. I kinda stabbed him for nothing..."

That Vaun growled at.  _ You were defending yourself. He fully deserved it. _

"For nothing?! Girl, you are more crazy than you are fuckin' short!" He piped up from the good stretch of silence after Vaun's request that he shut up.

Vaun reached over and nailed the dripping wound on his leg with his fist. The guy shouted in another language and resumed his raging kicking. " _ Shut. Up. _ "

_ You don't have to reply out loud, remember? _

He poked her head with a playful jab. Rae grumbled, swiping his hand away and thought.  _ I'm sleepy. Go away with your mind reading. _

The Born blew air through the valves of his stinger causing it to rattle.  _ It's not merely telepathy, it is a connection we share. At first, I couldn't hear you but now you are coming through more clearly. _

Rae was intrigued. He never gave any reasoning to why they could hear one another since their first encounter. She always just assumed it was a vampire thing and didn't delve deeper than that.

But that conversation would have to wait. 

Vaun pulled into the garage, parked next to the exact same type of car, and turned off the vehicle. The  _ strigoi  _ chittered and twitched, suddenly becoming very animated. Rae leaned back, a bit perturbed by them.

"Can they get... excited?" She questioned.

"They're hungry." Vaun said simply.

"WHAT?!" The man pinned between the two Hunters shouted. 

Rae hopped out of the SUV as the Hunters practically pushed their seat buddy out. The third emerged from the back and joined its brothers. Vaun made a command that she didn't hear and the trio walked into the dark depths with the struggling guy in tow.

He walked over to her and went to say something but was interrupted by Thor running out from a different tunnel. He was chasing after a stick?

"Where'd he get a stick?" Rae wondered.

Vaun was even more confused than she was until Lar stepped out of the dark void as well. He flinched in surprise when he noticed them. The  _ strigoi _ mimicked Quinlan and stood with his hands crossed in front of his waist. 

"The hunt was successful?" He asked, trying to shift their attention.

"Of course. We have the boy in our custody..." Vaun trailed off as Thor passed him, tail wagging and mouth full of wood. 

It was dropped at Lar's boots with an accomplished bark. The vampire made a face, ignoring her pet. "About time..."

"I uh, stabbed him too." Rae shrugged.

Lar rumbled. "You might live through this yet."

They stood there and waited until Thor whined at the game being cut short. He nudged the stick with his nose, trying to restart it. Lar continued to pretend he hadn't been playing with him.

Rae grinned and reminded Vaun that the guy still needed to be checked on. The half-breed shook his head at the odd pair before leaving entirely. Lar sneered at his passing.

"Hey, it's cool if you like playing with him." Rae said. "Dogs are man's best friend, ya know."

Lar sighed. "It can be... entertaining to watch it fetch."

She nodded but whispered as she went by. "Eat him and I'll hang you by your stinger."

The  _ strigoi  _ blinked, surprised by the threat. "As if that'd be possible. Your arms are too akin to this stick to bring me any kind of harm." He kicked the tiny part of a branch sending Thor on the chase.

Rae formed a retort but stored it for later as Vaun called for her. "Ass."

"Is there no other insult any of you can hit me with?" Lar frowned. 

His comment went in ear and out the other as Rae descended the pathway that lead to where Vaun was waiting. His darkly clad figure stood out against the light that illuminated from the fixtures below. 

"So what's gonna happen to him?" She asked when her feet hit the bottom of the stairs. 

"You heard Lar before we departed. He was being watched by the Ancients and deemed worthy to become a Sun Hunter." Vaun explained, walking towards the longer and more bright hall. 

Rae nodded. "Cool. I'm the senpai now..." She muttered with silly hilarity at her joke.

Vaun looked at her quizzically. "That's the second time you've used that term. I don't believe you're using it correctly." 

"Eh? I was a Sun Hunter first so I have experience on him." She rebutted. 

"Whatever you say..." He trailed, something lingering between them making Rae curious. 

She jogged a handful of steps ahead to catch his eye. "Gonna speak your mind or leave me hanging?"

Vaun suddenly looked unsure and paused in their trek. Rae closed the tiny gap she created and waited for him to gather his thoughts. Finally, the dhampir spoke. 

"Would you mind waiting for me? I'd like to ask you something of a personal matter."

Rae felt her cheeks warm. "Uh, yeah? Sure sure." 

Personal matter??? What the hell did that mean exactly? Her brain swarmed with countless possibilities while Vaun carried on in midst of his ignorant bliss, thanks to her response, of her inner panic. 

"Excellent. This shouldn't take very long." He nuzzled her forehead and went on, leaving her standing there like an idiot.

WHAT THE  _ FUCK  _ DID HE MEAN BY A PERSONAL MATTER?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone wanna guess what happens next? ;3


	24. Rae and Vaun (Art 1)

##  A lovely commission I had drawn by the talented [vectober](http://vectober.tumblr.com) on Tumblr! 


	25. Rae Michelle Williams (Art 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another piece done by vectober! :D


	26. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO DAMN SORRY FOR THE WAIT! Life literally speeds up and I lose it often... BUT! Them 21.5 pages yeah? 
> 
> This chapter contains sexual stuff people! If you don't like, you are more than welcome to skip. :) Forgive me in advance as I have not written steamy chapters in a long time.... *hides under rock*
> 
> (Edited 7/14/17: grammar errors. Thank you essence!)

Rae's thoughts raced hundreds of miles an hour, each blurring into one vivid and uncatchable mess. She chewed her lips nervously as she waited for Vaun to return from whatever it was he was doing. His promise of not taking long only insured more anxiety to pool deeper in her belly but the longer the dhampir's absence went on, the more jittery she became.

The only constant train of thought that replayed over and over was Vaun's words that sent her into this frazzled state. Rae moved about on the cot, joints unable to be still with the unease coursing through her veins.

What did he really mean by something personal?

Of course the constant self doubt popped up, whispering in her ear that he didn't want her anymore. But some reassurance retorted back with rationality. Perhaps he wanted to explain to her about the bond they had spoken of earlier.

She nodded twice, rest assured. Yeah, that's totally it! They were speaking about it earlier so that made sense.

Eventually, Thor was brought back to her. Lar disappeared after leaving his usual sassy remark. Rae hugged her furry friend gently around his neck.

"I don't what to think, bud. What if I'm getting in over my head? I've been in like what?" She mentally counted off her fingers. "Two relationships? Neither which ended very well... but still! What if he wants to break up or something?"

That sounded hilariously stupid. A four hundred year old vampire wanting to break up with a twenty-five year old.

Thor panted, his pink tongue hanging out to the side. His dark brown eyes round and filled with happiness. He may not be able to speak although, his happy face was all Rae needed.

She grinned. "I'll always have you, won't I? Yes I will!" Rae cooed in a silly tone as she rubbed his fluffy cheeks. "You'll just bite him for me, won't you? Bite his stupid, cute, and strangely attractive face right off!"

A knock softly broke off Rae's silly banter with Thor. She wiped her palms clear of the sticky fur and opened the door. Vaun stood there slightly put off.

"I was hoping you were regarding Lar but now I am not so sure..." Vaun pouted.

An embarrassed flush flared across her pale face. He heard that?! God damn Born and their super acute hearing! Rae rubbed the back of her burning neck.

"Sorry. I was just-" She urged them forward a bit when Thor's feet hit the ground, slamming the door swiftly in her dog's prepared to 'mangle the dhampir's' face.

His head hit the closed entrance with a heavy thud, a rumbling noise of defeat following. Vaun pulled his upper lip into a sneer at Thor's unsurprising behavior but asked anyway. "Is he alright?"

She sighed. "Yeah. His skull is pretty thick." Rae pinched the bridge of her nose remembering all the headbutts Thor had given her since he was a puppy.

"Pity..." Vaun grumbled half in jest.

Rae pursed her mouth and playfully punched his forearm. "Don't be mean to him."

"I wouldn't wish harm on it. You know this." He rolled his eyes. "However, I did not return to discuss your pet. Come with me?" He held out a nude and patient hand, waiting for her reply.

She swallowed. "Uh, yeah." Without further hesitation Rae took his hand. "Where to?"

He shrugged. “My quarters.”

Again her mind sailed at high speeds but all she could manage to do was nod with wide eyes. Vaun chuckled at her probably silly expression and lead the way. In reality, he hadn't been that far at all. Go down the hallway, turn left then right, and his room was the second on the left side.

Vaun opened the door and motioned for her to go in first, seemingly unphased by sharing his private space with her. Rae gulped but entered despite her pounding heart. He shut the door behind, leaving them engulfed in pure darkness. She jumped a bit at Vaun’s warm hand on her back.

“A moment.” His tone held mirth at her reaction.

He slid around her like an eel, moving without caution in the lightless area. She pursed her lips, slightly miffed at his enjoyment of her jump but blinked rapidly as a lamp blared to life. Once her vision adjusted to the dimly lit space, Rae absorbed it all.

It fit him really if Rae thought about it. The room was bare except for a desk that the lamp sat atop of. A cot similar to her’s was lined up with the corner. A locked riddled steel box stood in the middle of the bed and desk. It housed weapons, guns of various of types including his apparent favorite one. Lastly, a lone steel cabinet was a handful of feet away from the pallet’s end probably storing clothes or whatever he deemed necessary to own.

Rae stifled the nosy urge to explore further. She instead stood there awkwardly, rubbing her nail through the cuticle as her nervous habit demanded. Vaun saw her shackled by nervous tendencies and walked over, grasping her jaw tenderly and nudged his forehead against her’s.

“You are free to move about. I wouldn’t have brought you here if you were not allowed to do so.” He explained, not removing himself from her personal bubble. Which Rae didn’t mind but squirmed in his grasp anyways.

This caused Vaun to grin. “Am I making you nervous?”

Rae blushed. “N-No! You’re just so damn close…”

His grin grew more mischievous with her stuttering. “Are you sure?”

* * *

Vaun knew he should relent in his awful teasing but found this moment too much to pass up. Her skittish attitude was endearing to watch. He had no real clue to where this soar of confidence rose from but suddenly he encircled her waist and brought her small form flush against him, her feet dangling inches from the concrete floor.

“Ye-yeah! Put me down.” She implored, swinging her legs.

Perhaps he did sorely miss her or the bond was slowly laying down in it’s original foundations. Or a good mixture of both. Beguiling this connection could be, making him feel puzzled more than once yet he still not imagine trading it for anything.

Her heart was beating quickly, sending her blood closer to the surface of her skin dusting it in that red shade he had come to enjoy seeing.

“Hmm, I think you’re lying.” He nuzzled her lovely red cheeks, purring at the warmth and scent.

She gave up with a hum of defeat and looped her thin arms around his neck. She buried her brightly coloured face in the fold of his hood. “You’re a cheater.”

“I believe you’ve accused me of such before. I am not.” Vaun smirked, nosing her brown locks.

A muffled noise of frustration and then she asked to be put down. The Born rattled but obeyed. Her sneakers hit the floor however she did not back away. Her fingers remained curled into his jacket in tight little fists.

"I thought you wanted to tell me something.” She mumbled, hazel gaze focused on the desk avoiding him on purpose.

He chuckled. “I did, yes.”

Vaun took her hand and lead her over to his cot. It wasn’t accommodating for human comfort but he had no need for such things. He rarely slept for an extended period so the idea of adding sheets or a pillow didn’t come to mind. The idea was faint yet had flickered across his thoughts that if Rae chose to stay in here, with him, that he’d have to acquire those items.

He softly nudged her to take a seat. She complied and sat with her hands folded and ankles crossed. Her body tried to appear smaller than it already was. Vaun had to calm her before this started.

Instinct won over this decision. As he took his own spot, Vaun had hurriedly placed her on his lap. Rae made a sound of embarrassment and attempt to move back but the Born solidified her position. “Relax,” He purred, rubbing his thumbs over the back of her arms.

Her heart slowly started to ease its thundering in her ribs. She stilled as her muscles drew less tense. Rae pouted at him, repeating again. “Cheater.”

“Hardly.” He chittered. “Now, do you still wish to know about the bond?”

She huffed. "And this is the proper time to do it?"

Vaun briefly glanced at their suggestive position. Eh, it didn’t matter how they lay or sat while they talked.

"Mmm hmm." He grabbed her hand. “There’s much you don’t know about my kind yet.”

Her eyes looked to him, listening. “There is also much I myself do not know. The records of the _strigoi_ and their kin has been lost for centuries. But I managed to reap some information from my sire, as much as it would willingly allow.”

Vaun took her opposite hand and set it atop his own heart. "There is an occurrence in a Born’s life, but it is extremely rare; an once in a lifetime opportunity that a mortal can hear our inner voice, the true voice of a Born.”

Her brow knitted. "You mean how I can hear you inside my head?"

He nodded and continued. “I do not know if the ability itself is rare or it is just that our kind has been destroyed before any can be forged. Quinlan and myself are what remains of the half-breeds. The others have long since been dead.”

"Quinlan told me a while ago that such a thing has happened to us. We have a bond, a connection on a profound level that no other can fathom it." He stated.

Rae's expression lit up with astonishment. "Seriously?? So we're like mentally connected?"

"I am with you, not the other way around. Not yet. In order for that to happen, you need to accept the bond. When I was... absent," She scowled at that. "Quinlan informed me I had inflicted unwanted damage and once before when I attempted to not feel what I do for you." Vaun explained with a bitterness.

In the beginning, he wanted nothing more than a perhaps a sense of comradery with her. But it seemed like that was out of his will and he couldn't be all the more thankful for it. And looking back on those sorry attempts to refuse, Vaun regretted it.

Rae chewed on her bottom lip. "How I do accept it? I barely know what it is..."

He dropped his hand and she did the same. Vaun pulled her closer, nuzzling her once again. "I will try my best to explain as the knowledge on our kind is scarce and scattered. From what has been gathered it is a tie between two beings, a thread that entwines them on a spiritual level almost."

Her hazel eyes bright and wide at his words. " _Strigoi_ and Born are extremely empathtic. We are able to detect and discern emotions on a more broad scale than humans. Yet when a bond is forged, that sense is doubled. I can feel your emotional state intensely, know exactly what you are feeling and why, and hear your thoughts."

"You can already do those things so why I am so special? It sounds like you bond kinda with everybody." She mumbled, confused.

Vaun chuckled at her misunderstanding, nuzzling into her hair. "Not quite. It is on a lower level than what we share that I am able to pick up emotions, strong feelings like anger and fear. Or sometimes sorrow if it is powerful enough. With you,” He traced the line of her jaw. “I can feel what you feel, emotion and contact as I were experiencing it myself.”

She hummed, turning her head this way and that. “So if I cut myself accidentally you’d feel it?”

He nodded. “I would feel your pain, yes. Although, I wouldn’t have access to see through your eyes like a link between a Hunter or Ancient.”

Rae laughed humorlessly. “That’s kinda a relief. Be really weird if you could, not gonna lie.”

The half-breed kept to himself how the ability would be useful but didn’t wish to rouse any untrusting feelings.

He blinked seeing her looking at him very carefully.

“What?”

* * *

Her fingertips traced the jagged scars that lined his face. "What are these?" This close to him she could tell that they weren't in fact a series of scars, but a network of tightly woven veins amid the few smaller scars that did exist on his profile.

Vaun leaned into her gentle touch, trilling at the contact. "They are the bearings of my sire, markings of the one who damned my existence before it began."

Rae frowned at his description, how easily it floated off his tongue like it was rehearsed; said one too many times in passing conversation. He shrugged at her disappointed expression, taking it as a let down rather than dislike of his words.

"All the Born wore them. It is a birthmark of sorts." He explained.

Quinlan's face appeared in her mind's eye and the lines that ran down from the crown of head over his eyes like tears that had dried centuries ago. Lar had similar ones running over his face except they were in the opposite direction of Vaun's.

"Oh... it's just- I hate it when you describe yourself like that." She muttered, retracting her hand.

"Why? It is the truth, which I will always speak to you." He told her, grasping the hand that left back in his own. Vaun squeezed it. "I am unnatural in many ways, Rae. There are various talents I possess that always tip the scales in my favor, bringing a type of unbalance to humanity."

She had seen first hand these talents. He was faster, stronger, and smarter than most would be prepared for. His body more adapt to handle certain situations, the ability to heal was a big factor.

Rae paled a bit. Quinlan had been around for almost two thousand years... He'd be a force to be reckoned with in a fight for sure.

"Also," His tone had gone soft while his grip tightened. "I will outlive so many- you as well. One day you will no longer... be. I am unsure if I'm even allowed the privilege to ever follow eventually. Forever cursed to walk a plane where you do not exist is terrifying."

Tears immediately gathered in Rae's vision at his confession. He looked so broken at that pretty solid fact, at her morality hanging over him like rumbling cloud threatening to rage and storm. She didn't think about it as such a weight on his heart until he brought it up.

It made sense really. The fear and loneliness that awaited him whenever Rae died was a damn scary thing to imagine. How much emptier and darker the world would probably seem to him.

She drew back her captured mit and embraced him at the rushing waves of emotion rolling through her chest. The bond had been more broad in the spectrum of understanding with one another, wording it and it left Rae almost breathless at the surge of sadness she felt from Vaun. It was nearly crippling.

"Don't say that... I'm not going anywhere." She promised vehemently into his thickly woven shirt.

Her hug was returned with greater force. Rae huffed at the loss of oxygen being forced from her lungs.

Vaun flinched. "Sorry. I got carried away."

"Nah, this is some pretty deep stuff." Rae sniffled, rubbing her eyes.

"I mean, you're right. Eventually," She traced the lines in his palm. "I am gonna die." Her vocal statement made him shudder.

Rae continued softly. "But if I died tonight, tomorrow, fifty years from now, I'll be die happy 'cause I loved someone..."

Vaun's gaze found her quickly again. His body suddenly stiff like the words lashed out at him. The hand she held so gently shook.

" _I love you_." Rae confessed, squeezing that trembling appendage with reassurance.

* * *

Vaun stopped breathing as if the whole earth ceased to rotate. He had admitted this to Quinlan, to himself, but to her? The feat seemed to drain every ounce of courage he possessed. Half a year ago, that human emotion- that gift which seemed forever out of reach was an unachievable task that would be lost to his damned existence.

What to say back to her had his mind buzzing like a hive of stirred bees. Her words were so simple yet held such a weight to them. Should he merely repeat the same? Vaun did feel the same, so very much the more those words sunk in however, yet surely there was a way of his own he could tell her instead of mirroring her exact phrasing.

His hesitation cost him as Rae withdrew her hand from his and onto her lap, form rigid. He saw clearly as night written across her features she believed he did not feel the same. The dhampir quickly snatched back her little hand, gripping it as she did his own.

"Please don't- I just don't know..." Bah, he was only making it worse!

The ability to express this so freely was not easy for one torn between explicitly two different worlds. His _strigoi_ side questioned it, did not truly accept her confession. There was doubt seeded in his instincts by a creature who lived in a world of pain and darkness, where lies were told frequently and betrayal just another part of everyday life.

His human self was electrified, thrilled at the concept of finally not being alone; at having someone truly caring. With that nature also wrought the nervousness of voicing the emotion that dried his tongue or twisted his stomach into fumbling knots. As awful as it sounded, Vaun would trade anything to continue experiencing such phenomenons.

What drew in the flesh of his brow was the annoyance and confusion of the more apparent bashful state she never failed to put him in time and time again. Vaun never had these troubles but with no prior dealings with this type of predicament, he had no advantages. The Born rolled his eyes. Quinlan would know what to say probably.

Although, what did it matter if he used her very words? It was enough for him was it not? Except as many things did often, it did not come with ease.

"I do not understand what to say..."

She blinked slowly. "What do you mean? You don't _believe_ me?" Her hand retracted again, her tone gruff with the misinterpretation. It stung at his ears, the hurt edge to her voice.

" _NO._ This is just hard for me Rae... I have never felt this way towards anything, much less anyone." He stated. Vaun reached for her hands again, desperate to hold them- to try an achor her.

The bond was yet a tricky contraption for the both of them however, Vaun was able to feel her span of emotions due to his kind being more empathtic than most humans. Their bond was only an agent between them relaying feelings on a more deeper level to the half-breed. He unclasped one of her mits to gently place his bare palm over her beating heart.

Rae flushed that pretty light red colour, causing him to grin slightly. Her hazel eyes were wide and extremely curious about his actions. Vaun purred at the rising of blood in her cheeks.

"It's difficult to describe in proper words what you have me experience, to feel in depth that which I've never felt before." He brushed her reddened face with his knuckles.

"Truthfully, I am both elated yet dismayed. I feel like I’m stealing something precious, something that should never belong to me. However,” He carefully pushed Rae off, having her back lean against the cool wall as he caged her form with his.

“I also feel that I should covet this, protect it from any who would _dare_ try to take it from me.” Vaun bared his fangs a little at the prospect of anyone having the gall to attempt such a deed. “Ensure that it is _mine_ until it no longer wishes to be.”

He detected a flare in her body temperature. Her pulse quickened with her small yet sharp intake of breath. Again he caught that scent, that dangerous perfume that put his instincts on edge in a way he didn’t fully understand. He growled lowly at her blood rushing hotly to lower regions.

“You know I cannot give you a normal life. I cannot walk with you in the sun. I cannot give you what a human male could.” He stated, wanting- no _needing_ to hear her accept this darker part of him, the part that would steal her from the realm of sunlight and life.

She reached for him, grasping his face in her damp palms. “Normal is overrated, yeah?”

“Are you sure? Rae, I will not let you throw everything away for me.” He tried to make her see reason, that nothing good would come being with him but it did not deter her.

“Hey,” She increased the pressure of her grasp slightly. “It’s my life, my choice. I will love whoever the fuck I want, got it? No matter what happens, who says what.”

He blinked at her sudden volume and firmness. Vaun hadn’t seen her so passionate before and with the bond drawing from her, it ignited a small fire in the pit of his stomach at the sight.

"I’ll say it as many times as you want, whenever you want, but you will get it through that thick skull of yours: _I love you_ , you dumbass.”

That was all Vaun needed. His hands shot out and cradled her neck. His thumbs pushed her jaw, tilting her head to peer up at him so he could capture her small mouth.

He still didn’t see the want for this kind of contact but he understood it’s meaning enough to enact it with her. It was a gesture of sorts like a promise or confession. To Vaun, it meant that and more for Rae.

They kissed for seemed like a lull in time. Their mouths brushing and devouring. He twitched when he felt her tongue peek out and skim over his lips. Vaun may have shown her the most inhuman part of himself yet sharing it in this intimate setting caused him some uncertainty.

He was afraid to cut her with the hidden stinger that lurked in the makeshift tongue. Already he could trace the smallest droplets of blood on the tiny cuts his fangs sliced in her lips. He had to be so _careful._

The dhampir made a noise of surprise when her tongue forcibly stole its way in his mouth. Rae moved it ever so gently against his, drifting so lightly on its rigid surface. He softly shoved her back as it split open, curious at the intrusion. 

“Rae, _Rae don’t_ \- I’ll hurt you.” He pleaded, despite how his body seemed to react to it.

“You won’t. I believe in you. Don’t ever think I’ll be afraid of you.” She whispered, breath ghosting over his enlonged mouth.

What had he done to deserve this creature? What deed had he done to be blessed with this woman who saw him for who he was, not through him nor what he could be shaped into; yet who he truly was and embraced it.

She didn’t expect anything from him. She didn’t try curb or change him. Rae accepted him in his entirety, cursed and all.

“ _I love you_.” He whispered against her lips, finally.

He crushed her to him, as if needing to be close as possible, make their forms as one enity. Even now, as they were skin to skin, it was not enough.

* * *

She squirmed in the heat of his grasp.

Dude was seriously burning her up and _quick_ with his high body temperature. Beads of sweat began to bubble up on the surface of her skin. She huffed and pat on his chest, signaling for him to lean back. He did so without hesitation.

"Are you alright?" Vaun asked, concerned with her sudden flush state.

Rae fanned her face. "You're burning me up."

His eyes were wide as the idea struck him. He seemed to forget the heated difference between them. Vaun frowned. "I'm sorry. I cannot control it."

She braced her torso up on her elbows. "I'm not complaining that much. I really enjoy it when it's cold but well, you're setting me on fire here; in more ways than one." She chuckled.

Vaun took her words literally for a moment until common sense smacked him. His face grew whiter with what Rae eventually figured out to be his blush. "I uh... I'm not apologizing for _that_ then."

She grinned sheepishly. It had been a long time since last time Rae had this kind of touch. Maybe it had something to do with such a strong reaction to him? Rae denied that possibility. He was definitely something else, something far more special than anyone she ever fooled around with.

Nervousness poked at her as she pondered on what to do next. Both of her last moments of pleasure had been a rushed mess to just be done and over with, that Rae was unsure how to move forward. Shy eyes wandered over his semi hunched form. They still had too many clothes on...

Biting the inner flesh of her bottom lip, she decided to make the next move. Rae took a steady breath to calm her quickly rising self doubts, while her fingertips messed with her shirt's rim anxiously. Vaun noticed her fidgeting.

"Have I done something?"

Rae shook her head immediately, not trusting her voice at the second. God she hated how her awful pitiful habits made him believe he was to blame! Heart racing, Rae grabbed his hands and placed them on her shirt. He didn't quite grasp at first get her intentions until she tugged.

"I can feel your unease with this." He released his grip on the fabric. "I will do nothing that causes you this kind of distress."

“It’s fine, I promise. It’s just been a long time for me.” She motioned between their bodies her hands, trying to indicate her meaning.

Vaun clicked. “Well, I’ve never done _this_ -” His words tumbled off as Rae swiftly made her shirt scarce before her gathered courage evaded her.

She rolled her lips, trying not to freak out under his steady red and black gaze. Her skin was pale and body not to everyone’s standards. She was thin and hardly endowed. Often in her youth she was referred to a stick with bumps. Did great for her self esteem.

After moments of pause Rae crossed her arms over her covered chest, feeling ashamed. Vaun realized his mistake. He trilled, reaching out to tug down her defense.

“Why are you hiding?” He asked, genuinely perplexed.

She shrugged. “I’m not exactly up to par with other women.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. Are you referring to…?” His claws traced the flesh above her breasts, where her arms didn’t shield.

Goosebumps rose in the trail he left behind. Her tongue was tied. She fiddled with words.

“Ye- yeah. Always been made fun of or outright rejected ‘cause they like them... bigger.” It was a childish excuse but the one that never failed to find her.

Vaun rumbled, taking in her words. He leaned forward, loving brushing over her face with his lips then nuzzling her throat. His lips parted over her skin, teeth nipping and pulling.

“Well, I’d very much like to see them.” His breath tickled her neck, like the faint brushing of a ghost.

She gasped when his fangs found her pulse and bit, suckling the flesh. Her arms trembled, trying to stay grounded but fell away when his fingers circled her wrists and pulled them down. Rae’s lungs stuttered when his lips and teeth meandered south over the newly exposed flesh.

Her breasts heaved in the light green bra that supported what little she had with each kiss and gentle bite he gave. Vaun smirked under his work and leaned back to see fully. His red eyes were nearly black at the sight.

"You’re beautiful. I cannot grasp what fool could not see that.” His pale finger hooked onto a strap. “Though I do have some confusion towards _this_. How do you get it off?”

Rae laughed. “It’s a bra. There’s clasps in the back that keep it from falling.”

She saw his mind begin to wind up at the tinkering part of the concept. He enjoyed creating and taking things apart, to discover how they worked in every possible way. Rae figured that out when she noticed how his gaze lit up as he told her about his weapon.

She refused to let her giggle escape when Vaun peered around to see her back so curiously. His sharp nails followed the strap to where the latches were located. He reached with his other arm, lightly pressing her form into his chest, and tried to unhook it.

Eventually he grew impatient with each uneventful tug or pry and growled, laying his face on the crown of her head.

“I can’t get it off...”

Rae smiled, hearing the pout in his voice.

“Here, lemme get it.” She took it off with ease and tossed aside before folding her arms across her chest again.

Vaun at first sneered at how sickly swift she had been with the contraption but that annoyance melted away when Rae sheepishly unfolded her arms, revealing herself to him. He crawled over to her, not taking his intense gaze away from her even for a second.

He studied her form without words thus making her self conscious. She wrung her hands on her clothed lap, heart pounding in her ear drums as she waited for his response.

“Why bigger? I don’t see the need for a size increase. They fit you perfectly as they are.” Vaun stated without missing a beat. His red eyes staring. “Though… am I supposed to do something with them?”

“You can touch them if you want.” Rae shrugged, her face beginning to burn again.

His hands rose then fell repeatedly, uncertainty plaguing his expression. He asked, “It will not hurt?”

She shook her head no and took this into her own hands. Grabbing his wrists, she guided them to her chest. She moved his palms over her breasts, encouraging his fingers to massage the mounds of flesh under his hands. Rae sighed blissfully as he caught on, dropping her helpful hands; a faint echo of pleasure shuddered down to her core.

“Oh…” He breathed out as no doubt he could feel and smell what he was doing to her.

They pebbled under his experimentive touch, sending more sparks through her. His grasp grew more bold, his pressure increasing on them. Vaun growled, pressing further into her and digging his claws in ever so slightly.

“This is what you like?” He asked and squeezed them harder again.

“Uh…” Rae groaned. “Sometimes yeah.”

He rattled, thinking. Suddenly Rae was on her back with Vaun locking her waist with his thighs, palms still on her breasts. He looked at her with a hunger, that strange tongue flicking out over his lips.

“May I…” Vaun grunted.  “I _want_ …” He growled hotly, eyeing what he wanted.

Rae got it. His voice sent a lick of flame to her lower regions. She considered his deadly fangs for a moment. “Just watch your teeth, ok?” She whispered.

He nodded eagerly. Removing one hand, his mouth took it’s place. Warm lips carefully locked on her nipple, sucking and rolling it gingerly between his sharp teeth. Vaun purred as he felt the sensations ripple through them both and faintly tasting the blood that bubbled underneath the peaked flesh..

He departed the left with a tiny bite before repeating his performance on the other. Rae sighed and made other noises of delight he earned from his exploring. Departing her chest, Vaun trailed up her collarbone and over her throat; marking a path with his fangs and lips.

A purr shook his frame when he found her pulse. She gasped as his teeth took root and nibbled roughly. His fangs rolled against her soft flesh, digging and marking. He broke the first delicate layer of skin, rewarding him with a fleeting taste of her blood. Vaun snarled at the minor loss of control and removed his mouth, leaving some blood and saliva coated on her artery.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He apologized, obviously lost to his more primal nature.

“It’s- just don’t get too carried away, ok?” She panted.

Jesus, here she was half naked and he was still clothed minus his gloves. Rae rose, motioning for him to give her room. He scooted back but was firmly kept in arms reach by her unrelenting grasp. She began to raise his shirt when his pale hands attempted to cease their motive.

“Yo-you don’t need to worry about me!” He protested.

“Well it’s not fair. You get to see me, but I also really want..." Rae tugged the rim of the black fabric determinedly to get what her curious gaze hinted, conveying without words what she did want from him.

“I am… not nice to look at it.” He mumbled.

“Because I’m a treat to behold…” Rae grumbled sarcastically, tugging on his shirt more persistently. He went to argue but snapped his mouth shut.

He sighed. Knowing how stubborn she could be when setting her eye on something, Vaun gave in and allowed her to strip him. He held his breath when his pale and tattered torso was visible.

“Whoa…” She exhaled.

Vaun wasn’t as built as Quinlan seemed, however he was lean and fit. She grinned at comparing them. Vaun always seemed like the littlest next to Quinlan, both in age and body. He adorned the same swirls that the older Born had as well, although his a lighter pink in hue. And his torso was covered in those markings and a network of _scars._

Tentatively, Rae reached out to trace the one of many healed wounds that littered his chest. It was like a latticework of every battle and experience he ever walked away from. In reality, she was in awe. Surely the stories behind these were indeed interesting to hear, good or bad. They were evidence of his strength to survive, how his will to percifer won in the end.

“You’re fucking gorgeous.” Rae breathed, astonished.

The Born twitched and looked at her with wide and disbelieving eyes. “ _What?_ ”

“You heard me. You’re bloody beautiful.” She repeated, fingertip running delicately over a jagged scar that lay near his shoulder.

He sat there dumbfounded. His red and black orbs flickering to and fro, trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. “You don’t know what I’ve done! How I earned these. The lengths I went to-”

A loving kiss was brought to silence his condemning excuses. She knew what most likely dark deeds had to be carried out. But she did not want to hear them, allow them to muddy this. He was what he was and she would _never_ ask him to be different.

“I don’t care. You know why?” She asked, touching her nose to his briefly.

His eyes watched her intently. “Tell me.”

“Because I love you no matter what.” She confirmed with utter serenity.

She kissed his lips one last time before starting her journey downward. Gently raking her nails down his pectorals, over his nipples and earning a grunt and shudder, she lovingly kissed each passing scar. Rae nudged him to lay on his back this turn. He complied.

“I love you, every piece broken or whole. I love all of you.” She promised.

* * *

Every god above this woman and her words! Where this little minx came from of his shy little female was astounding. She’d drive him mad.

Vaun's breathing was shallow as Rae peppered her lips down his sternum, continuing south on an invisible path. He squirmed when her little pink tongue poked his belly button. Vaun glanced down at her, slightly confused.

“It’s cute.” She shrugged.

His fingers wove into her dark mane as her mouth traveled over his sides and scars. Never in his long life time had someone ever touched him like this. There was no wicked pain or violent lashes, just gentle and loving caresses.

He grunted with her blunt little teeth found the scar running along his hip.

Absolute terror filled him suddenly when her mouth did not stop there. His mind quaked with the fear of her reaction if he did not stop her beforehand.

"Wa-wait! Do not-" He growled as a chaste kiss was placed just above the rim of his trousers. " _Please, stop._ "

Rae shot up like a rocket as if his words had electrocuted her. Her brown eyes were big and wide, doubt and shame gathering in tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Shit, I'm so- so sorry. I'm not that great at this! I shouldn’t have gone so far!" Rae slightly panicked.

Her small hands began their rattled movement as her own mind rallied against her. Vaun hissed, annoyed with himself. His tone had been harsher than he intended. He rose on his elbows to look at her.

"Rae, it's alright. I just... there's... I-"

God, why was he tripping about his words?! In reality, this topic rarely came around so maybe it made sense with the difficulty to tell her of his lacking... No, it was the dread that came with this revelation that shook him so. What if she no longer wanted him? What if she no longer…

Swallowing the bitter taste of apprehension, Vaun dug his claws into the throws of his courage and demanded his mouth to work.

"I am not male in every sense of the word." He blurted, pinning his gaze anywhere but her reaction.

Oh God, what the hell did that even mean exactly?! His eyes flickered nervously back and forth, staying glued to the cement ground instead of facing Rae like he should have. To witness her refusal of him would be... shattering.

He heard her exhale. "I figured something was different... But, I would rather hear it from you."

Ah, well, that wasn't as horrible as he riled it up to be. Vaun licked his lips before replying with a question first.

"How did you suspect?" The Born dared to glance at her.

Brown eyes stared back without any trace of disgust or negative light. She appeared perfectly accepting of whatever her mind had formulated. She shrugged, explaining.

"After Halloween. I set aside my beration of self and really thought about it, thinking on how you freaked out. I remembered you told me all the Born were not the same, each having either more human or _strigoi_ in them."

A shard of happiness beamed at her recollection of his words. She had truly listened to him back then. Vaun had feared he had said too much or Rae didn't bother to store the information.

The tips of his ears burned. "So your conclusion...?"

He hated how timid and frail his tone sounded even to his own ears. Opening himself up entirely to another was a mountainous task. A battle Vaun believed he had fought and won already with her.

"You're... uh, missing certain parts?" Rae rubbed the back of her neck, gaze flickering nervously to his crotch.

He nodded, failing to process full sentences. Inwardly, Vaun braced himself for the rejection of their exploration and disappointment in his body.

"It's not an issue, if that's what you're worried about."

Vaun felt as maybe he had been struck by lightning. Did she just... accept that? He looked at her bewildered yet elated.

"You... love me as _incomplete_ as I am?" His tone was shaking with absolute disbelief.

Rae scoffed. "Yeah! I'm not programmed like most people... It's not the physical package I'm after. I’m more into the emotional spectrum."

“So my form isn’t displeasing to you in the slightest?” He gawked openly.

She shook her head. “Nope.”

Well, this turned for better than he hoped. He nodded, semi in a daze of it. Vaun grimaced as he realized he had upset the mood. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Do you still want to continue?” His tone yet timid.

His inquiry was apparently a silly one because Rae rolled her eyes but nodded. “Duh.”

“I uh… I can’t give you more pleasure though…” He wondered what else he could do to please her since he lacked the proper tool to do so.

This caused yet another eye roll from her. “Don’t be so horrible on yourself. There are plenty of other ways.”

Curiously Vaun’s mind went into its mechanic mode, pondering exactly what else there could be while Rae rose from the cot. He rose the flesh of his brow and began to ask what she was up to when she unbuttoned her dark jeans and kicked them aside, leaving her only in underwear. His face flushed.

“Um…” He could still feel the desire boiling inside her. The wanting scent had not waned but he was still at a loss of what she meant. This trickled into him and warmed that stone that settled in his lower stomach.

Vaun swallowed. Her hips were actually a tad more round than he first presumed. His claws itched to latch onto the soft flesh of her behind. The bashful streak he had faded away with the renewed heat.

“ _Show me_.” He hissed.

He wanted to make her drown in it as she had made him feel before. Lose herself until the only thing she knew for sure was him. He wanted to make her his just as he definitely in every way, shape, and form he was hers.

A beautiful shade of crimson painted itself over her pale face. She was shy and reserved again. Well, he’d had to remedy that.

“Come here.” He growled lowly.

Vaun watched her like a predator would its prey, measuring every step and sway of her body. All the emotions she was feeling were pouring down on him like a steady and heavy rainfall. **Desire. Love. Trust.**

It was damn near mouth watering.

She paused a painful few centimeters from him. She removed her glasses and set them on the desk then returned her gaze to him. Her brown eyes were dark and intoxicating.

“What about you?” Those eyes hinted at his own pants.

His lips pursed. “I don’t need to remove them.”

Rae was going to make up a reason and his patience was thinning. He huffed and faster than her eyes could decipher, he took them off and thrown her on the cot with her arms pinned to the sides. Her eyes wandered to peek at him but he yanked her gaze back directly on him.

“No. Only look at me.” He said firmly.

She pouted at the refusal but Vaun didn’t want to waste time with what he obviously did not have. There wasn’t much to the imagination and it wasn’t important. Rae was his focus. He took that adorable bottom lip in his teeth and sucked on it, gently raking his fangs on it.

Rae moaned. Her eyes opening and closing in the ecstasy flowing between them that he was stirring. Vaun chuckled at her expression, using only his tongue to play with her caught lip. Her hips twitched then snapped up to crash against his.

The Born stuttered in his actions when electricity exploded in his abdomen at the unexpected contact. He released her mouth, gaping. It borderline hurt as knot formed and tightened in his stomach. Vaun’s hips acted of their own accord returned the motion. He ground against her small body senselessly, like an animal in a rut. His hands reached between them and shoved her thighs part roughly, earning a surprised squeak from Rae.

His hands fished for her hips then ran down to grab her ass. He snarled when his hands were full and dug his talons in without care. Rae made a noise of hurt but it added to the fuel that threatened to burn him. Vaun pressed her throbbing core where his sex would be and rubbed against her.

The dhampir was going crazy with an unknown need to be inside. He hissed and rattled as no matter how hard or much he ground against her, the feeling would not cease. If anything it only flared hotter.

“ _Rae_ ,” God he whined. “Rae it _hurts_.”

She bent upwards and kissed him. Wrapping her trembling arms around his neck, she put her forehead to his. He nuzzled back desperately as she spoke. “I know. _I know._ Here.”

He felt her one arm unhook. She buried her face into the crook of his neck so he could watch her peel the garment from her sweating body. Vaun twitched as the sweet scent hit his senses without a barrier. His twitches went of out control for a moment until Rae sat on his lap and soothed him.

“I’ll show you what I meant earlier.” She then took his hand.

* * *

She gently took his unsure hand and guided it to her aching core. Her panties had been more than a little wet, almost to an embarrassing point. A worried though crossed her mind that she hadn’t been able to shower prior to this. But Vaun’s more than enthusiastic notion to go on swiped that worry.

He again twitched abruptly as the tips of his fingers brushed through her curls and touched her dripping hidden flesh. Rae winced at the jarring heat of his hand against her most sensitive skin. Okay, that was fucking hot and not necessarily in the good vibe.

Vaun quivered, muscles tense with anticipation of what was to come. She hissed as her tight flesh parted for his two fingers, slowly ushering him further. Her brow unfurrowed as the slight pinching pain gave way for more enjoyable sensations. She relaxed around him and began to move his fingers in and out.

The dhampir stared with wide and nearly pitch eyes.

He devoured her groans, eclipsing her lips with his own as Rae increased the tempo. The bond was burning between them as it relayed the passion flaring inside her into Vaun. The Born was being driven to insanity he was positive. A madness he would catch again and again with a wicked addiction.

Rae broke their lock and trailed her lips ever so slightly over the reddened swirls that decorated his pale neck. Vaun paused in his movements to shudder and hiss. She felt no pain or discomfort, only an odd sense of pleasure from it. Enflamed mischief set her path to gently rake her nails across the near edge of them.

Vaun twitched with a savage snarl, crooking his fingers inside her causing Rae to cry out.

He stuttered out a fractured apology but she silenced them by pressuring his joints to bend against that spot again, panting. "Don't... be... it's a good thing."

She would explain later when her mind wasn't muddy and without the pulsing waves going through her body. Vaun growled and obeyed, successfully finding it once more; pressing it more aggressively. Rae gasped and rocked into his palm.

" _Fuck...!"_ Vaun growled, pushing on her lower back and bringing their torsos to meet.

A part of Rae wondered if his arm would get strained from this activity but the other half was pretty sure he didn't care and at this point, neither did she. That knot grew tighter in her belly, her fall getting closer.

Heat fogged her brain both from his body and their coupling. Rae was sure they’d be stuck together like sticky glued paper after this. She was getting dizzy from all this overwhelming sensations. He jabbed that spot more accurately sending her voice notes higher.

He panted, nuzzling the meat of her shoulder with his lips and fangs. It was inching closer and closer. She was surprised she lasted this long really. They were nearing the edge of this cliff and Rae so wanted to be pushed off and fall into those waters of release below.

“Rae, I can’t. It- fuck!” Vaun cursed, teeth breaching the top layer of her skin.

She didn’t care. She couldn’t care. It added what they both needed. One more push…

“It’s- uh it’s okay.” Rae groaned, rolling her hips quicker on his fingers. “Let go. Come with me.”

The half-breed made a vicious strained noise and deeply sank his deadly teeth in Rae’s shoulder. The final shove and she was there. She arched her back and let his name fall effortless from her mouth. He shuddered and held onto her for balance, one hand a fist in her damp locks and the other clutching her waist.

Rae sighed as her energy drained completely for a momentary lapse and drooped against Vaun. He removed his teeth with care and tried to hide wiping his mouth of her blood. Those ruby and pitch eyes glanced at her as he smoothed back her hair.

“Are you alright? It wasn’t too much?” He was concerned.

A tired smile crept on her features. “Yeah. All good. You?"

He licked his faintly crimson lips. “I am fine. You look exhausted. Are you sure I didn’t-”

She pressed a lazy kiss to his fretting self. “Don’t freak. You just wore me out is all.

A yawn escaped and her eyes sagged. She was low on energy to burn and this depleted what remained. Rae slipped off his legs and settled onto the scratchy cot below. Nap now, clean up later.

“Rae?” Vaun lay next to her, brushing some hair that stuck to her face behind her ear. “Rae?

“Sssshhh, Rae sleeps now.” She poked his nose and let rest take her its dark embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR HONEST THOUGHTS!


	27. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why does it take so damn long for me to write 16 pages??? I guess I was torn about how much I wanted to put in this and some sections gave me issues. Oh well, here it is now and I hope everyone likes it. :) 
> 
> We got 3 more chapters to go, my lovely viewers. Three more and then I can announce some surprises I have. xD
> 
> Oh and... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FELLOW TINY WOMAN (you know I'm talkin to you) !! TODAY IS THE DAY WE SET THE PLANS IN ACTION TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD FROM THE TALL PEOPLE! Seriously, Happy Birthday my bestie. OwO

Vaun sat there utterly perplexed of what to do next. His body was tired yet his mind hummed with energy. The hybrid was brimming with questions however Rae had fallen asleep rather quickly afterwards. She had half curled up against the wall seconds ago and hadn't moved much since despite him softly calling her name or poking her bare shoulder.

The Born pouted.

He still desired Rae's attention but her need for rest was more important than answering his curiosities he supposed. Rattling, the half-breed decided he should busy himself until she roused. There are other things to tend to while she slept, Vaun sheepishly glanced below. Both of them had created a… mess.

Rae would need a blanket as well if she did continue to slumber for a long period.

Grabbing his strewn about clothes, Vaun tossed them onto the desk’s chair and looked for the freshest rag in the pile he used for cleaning his weapons. He had acquired some new ones recently, where did they… ah, here. They must’ve fallen behind the box of ammunition when he slammed the steel door shut last.

Making quick work of the slick fluid on his abdomen and upper thighs, Vaun disposed of the cloth with the others that needed washing. He paused when that slickness was felt also on his fingers. The Born brought that hand level to his sight. His red and black eyes studied the clear substance on his pale digits.

It wasn’t overly sticky or held any colour to it, yet leaving it to dry might prove the former to be incorrect. Rae’s scent was heavy on those fingers that had entered her, rising a peculiar temptation in him.

Vaun relented to that greedy prompt and tentatively inserted those digits into his mouth. His stinger split, wrapping the valves around his fingers; licking and tasting the moisture that had gathered on them. Sweet yet salty. He purred at the unexpected tartness, the flavor coaxing him to savour every last drop of their interlude.

It tasted nearly as lovely as her blood, a few chance droplets had gotten onto his tongue during their coupling.

The Born huffed with disappointment when his fingers became fully clean of the evidence causing him to pout again. He shouldn't shatter Rae’s rest for his own selfish wants. Instead the half-breed rose, buttoned on his trousers and laid his jacket over her exposed form; earning a soft sigh of content as Rae snuggled into the clothing. It was quite big on her tiny frame making it look as it would engulf her entirely. He grinned, gently raking his claws over her damp hair.

His mind was atwitter with many varying emotions that the Born almost couldn’t keep up with them all. So many in such a quick flurry that he was left mildly dazed. A handful he could name properly: happiness, respect, and a sense of admiration- now the newly discovered love. Others however, were downcast compared to the uplifting.

Vaun stepped away from the cot and sat in his chair, legs crossed and watched her sleep. Her sides slowly heaving up and down with each exhale of breath. His brow furrowed with worry. An action that could be so easily stopped.

Fear knotted in his stomach, accompanying this storm.

What did the future hold for them both of them? The Seventh was still a mighty looming threat and an evasive one to counter at this point. None of his masters knew the whereabouts and current intentions of their rogue brother besides what the spreading epidemic above would lead to. It had the ability to cut off any effects of their unique bond, leaving his Originals in total darkness.

Despite already knowing of its probable plans for this city- the grand design of its diabolic mind held for New York that would eventually lead it to gaining control over the very world; they were left pondering at the vast chessboard. He scratched his bare head.

The numerous of tragic possibilities that lay in store for Rae rushed to his mind, each far more worse than the last. The stomach rolling musings were enough to make him nauseous. A strong spark to take her and flee coursed through his body, although where would they go? How long could he keep ahead of the Master?

Vaun could train her until she was as prepared as he, if not better, but the young Born knew from Quinan’s experience with this defiler that no matter how prepared or ahead one could be, it would show you how very wrong you are.

Also… a more favored outcome came to thought. If they did succeed and destroy the Seventh once and for all, where did that leave he and Rae?

Would he be allowed to leave with her? Would he give a damn if he was not and go regardless? There would be nothing left in these shadows below the city for him. Right now, and hopefully forever, Rae is his everything.

She is his reason for fighting this battle. She is his reason for wanting to came back alive. Not by the bid of his Ancients. Vaun lived for her- _to be with her_.

Rae _saw him_ , not as a potential weapon, monster, or slave. She saw him for what he was, human and not. And she _accepted_ that fact and did nothing to try and change it.

That desperate urge to flee with her rose again ten fold. His muscles tensed as his mind fought against the abrasive and conflicting emotions. Before Rae, Vaun had pledged himself to this cause- to his unintentional father. Could he abandon that vow and turn his back on everything forged in this dark life?

He thought himself an honourable creature, standing by his word to fulfill those obligations; but she hadn’t been there and now, she was above any promise or code. She ruled him in ways his master would be envious of. Yet, they were like that to each other; one belonging to the other entirely. 

Uncertain where these paths of distraught thought would lead, Vaun swiftly felt through his connection with Quinlan. Thankfully he did not meet head on with a dark wall the elder dhampir would often erect around his mind. There was a shudder of surprise at the sudden intrusion but he reached back.

_Yes, Vaun? What is it?_

_Quinlan,_ He was unsure to phrase  this. _I’ve found myself lost. Rae has seeded dissension within me and I… I am at a crossroads and unsure of which to take._

He could feel the puzzlement in his elder brother. _I’m lost at what you mean exactly. You have fixed your blunders, correct?_

Vaun rolled his eyes. _Of course. It’s just, you’re the only one I can confide in with this specific issue._

_… What you and she do in moments of privacy is your own busi-_

_No!_ Vaun shook his head. _I have a more important problem! And_ **_that_ ** _wasn’t as difficult as I’ve worried it to be…_ He grumbled very quietly.

 _Then what kind of dilemma have you been faced with then?_ He inquired.

 _With… Tasa,_ Vaun waited a brief moment as he felt Quinlan bristle. _Did you ever just wish to hide her? Keep on the move with her?_

It was an aching decade it felt before Quinlan replied dryly. _Rae and my former wife are completely different people._

 _Yes but still, did you ever feel that need?_ He pressed.

A sigh. _Of course. The Master promised me at a very young age that whoever I held close to my heart would be found. He never failed to keep that promise. However, I could not do that to her. Despite my wild instincts to take her and the child somewhere, each location different with each passage of time, I couldn’t subject her to that life._

 _She had been ripped forcibly from her family and culture once too many. No matter how strong that suggestion had been, I ignored it in her favour. But in the end, I realize neither running or hiding would’ve helped. My father always seems to be one step ahead._ He hissed.

 _I’m sorry to bring this up, but you are all I have for this kind of… advice._ Vaun said.

 _It is fine. I would rather guide you where I can, less you suffer the same._ _Since you are specific of this topic, I imagine you are feeling the same. You want to run with her, don’t you?_

One couldn’t get much past Quinlan, if anything at all, thought this was rather obvious. So Vaun felt it was pointless to not voice it. _I do._

 _Don’t feel shame for it. It is natural to do anything in your power to protect what you love, even if that only option looks cowardly or selfish._ Quinlan reassured. _You owe this world and those **husks** nothing, Vaun. Just as I do not. _

He chuckled. Quinlan had always been the most defiant out of the pair. The Roman Born bowed to no one and kept his sights transfixed on what was important to him and nothing else. Speaking of which…

 _Thank you, brother, but I must also ask; how is the ransom on your knives going?_ Vaun snickered at the mild irritation flaring at his question. It was his fault since he mentioned in passing that a certain freckled hacker was upset over being left behind in Rome.

 _And this conversation is over._ Quinlan’s presence receded from his mind, leaving Vaun a little more balanced and amused.

He focused his vision on Rae’s slumbering body. His red eyed gaze trailed over her short legs, the dip of her hips, and thin arms. Small she may be, but he’d make sure if anyone ever cornered her or dare snatch from him that they’d regret it. Either by his hand or her own.

* * *

She rustled in her warm spot, slowly being called back to the realm of awareness. Rae’s eyes blinked open sluggishly, the image of what was before her blurry and disorganized. A couple more blinks and the picture grew a little more clear. She grinned.

Vaun was sitting at his desk, bent over something she couldn’t see but could hear being tinkered with. She shifted, causing the heavy blanket to fall over her legs. She blinked realizing that it had been his jacket instead. The material wasn’t rough as it looked but it was hefty. Perhaps thicker against the rays of sun?

Rae blushed when the cooler air hit certain exposed areas. She shrugged on Vaun’s jacket in a hurry; her embarrassment fueling the swiftness to conceal herself. Once safely wrapped in that, she happily snuggled into it. It smelled like him of course, gun oil and a faint trace an earthy smell with rust.

An amused trill broke her glee. Rae’s face grew a dozen shades darker at Vaun’s knowing fanged smile. He was watching her the entire time?!

“I heard your heart rate pick up at first then you moved and…” He chuckled. “I’m sure you’re aware of the rest. I didn’t want to interrupt your enjoyment.”

She pulled his hood completely over her scarlet face in horrid embarrassment. Rae inwardly screamed at being caught _sniffing_ his jacket. ‘I’m such a bloody weirdo!’ The thought echoed and echoed worsening her humiliation.

“Don’t beat yourself up over something that is normal.” Vaun quipped, slightly growling at her.

“Normal for _you_ maybe.” She stuck her tongue out at him from under the rim of his hood.

 _You humans are so strange._ He commented in her mind.

Rae wondered if she could reply back the same method now. She had done so a handful of times but they weren’t so casually made.

 _Well, you’re half human so…_ She peeked out from the covering curiously.

He huffed and playfully waved her off dismissively. He heard her. “It is unnatural to like your dear ones scent?”

“Well no but…” She fiddled with her fingers. Her nose scrunched at the dry mess coating her thighs. “Um, you have something to…” Rae gestured to her lap, rolling her lips into a thin line of awkward distaste.

“Um…” His pale cheeks grew whiter. “I do. Here,” He leaned over and grabbed a red cloth.

Rae sighed, relieved. Pulling down the jacket’s length out of shy habit, she rose from her comfy spot on the cot.

His eyes became troubled as she stood. Rae went to ask what was the matter when she felt the tiny stings on her thighs, like insects crawling with their pinching limbs. She glanced down and pulled up the jacket a bit. There were very shallow cuts on her skin from Vaun’s nails when he grabbed at her in such a frenzy.

They didn’t bleed much and when they did, the amount was barely noticeable. Unless you were her dhampir of course, who sat there now brooding over the fact he caused her some harm.

“I hurt you.” He whispered, ashamed.

Rae tried to be nonchalant about it. “It’s no big deal. Thor’s scratched me worse honestly.”

This approach did little to dent his sullen mood. “That is not the point.”

She huffed and strode over, completely forgetting she wore nothing underneath. Rae had woken up in the greatest mood she’d been in for awhile and she wasn’t about to let his cautious side that seemed to enjoy berating him over her ruin it. He watched her cross the distance towards with a mild spark of interest in his gaze.

Rae crossed her arms over her chest as she got within reaching. “Look, I don’t mind you being rough okay? You’ve got a lot of…” She motioned at his form with her hand. “Stuff going on and it doesn’t bother me. I love you, sharp ass claws and all. Or did you forget?”

Vaun clicked, glancing between her and the floor. She could feel the tugging conflictions inside him via the bond. Rae understood he had no want to injure her even in the slightest, but he needed to understand also that she was mentally and emotionally prepared for outcomes like this.

“Of course I didn’t forget.” He mumbled sheepishly. “It’s just… I should be careful. I acted like a child.”

Rae pursed her lips. “Would you let it go if I said I liked it?”

Apparently that brought his train of thought to a screeching halt as his red eyes widened a fraction. Vaun looked at her. “Um… truly?”

She nodded. At the time it was all tossed into the jumbled pot of passion but Rae did notice his slicing nails bite into her inner thighs and it added more to the experience. She didn’t pin herself to be into some pain but hey, surprises for all.

Deciding to distract Vaun on the brewing emotions, she leaned to side and inquired about what lay on the table. This course of action worked, clearing the overcast self doubt away. He grinned and began to explain with that excited glint in his eyes.

“It’s my shotgun. You’ve seen it before. I was merely cleaning it as it jammed on me just when I went looking for you.” He said.

“Wait, you knew I went off on my own?” She asked. “Like at the start?”

Rae shouldn’t have been so shocked, he had enhanced senses after all. What would have been shocking was if he _hadn’t_ noticed. Vaun shook his head at her.

“I heard your heart hammer with anxiety and your fumbling steps. I expected your stubbornness to override my request.”

She gave him a flat look. “ _Request_ _?_ Request my butt, you _ordered_ me to stay there.”

“I am your authority when you ran in my pack of Hunters.” He countered. “You disobeyed which could’ve lead you being harmed or worse.”

Rae scowled. “Well I wasn’t so bite me! Besides, I ended up doing exactly what you told me to do anyways.”

Vaun blinked at her quizzically at her use of phrases. “Being held at gunpoint by the target?” He frowned then. “Sounds like the exact opposite.”

She frowned at this. It sounded degrading but he had a point. Rae had no training of any sorts to properly take on someone. She could manage to get out of sticky situations sure, but there was no instructing that had been drilled into her head. Her sessions with Lar had been short and hardly of much help. She still had a lot to learn.

Taking the hit for now, Rae shrugged. “Fine. One point for you.”

“Please don’t think I’m trying to belittle you, Rae.” He said.

“I know, I know. But it doesn’t help ragging on me either.” She pursed her lips.

Rae hated to argue. It never failed turned her into a sob fest since her tears were easy to trigger in any high strained emotional confrontation. She hated that even more. It made her look pathetic, at least that’s how it always feels. Debates were healthy in relationships, not even the person you love the most is going to be one hundred percent on board with everything. People have different personalities, views, and other fundamentals that make them into who they are.

However, even with that understanding, Rae still wasn’t keen on heated discussions.

“Can we have a subject change?” She asked, shoving her hands into the pockets.

Vaun’s sour expression didn’t waver but he did nod. “I will one last thing on the matter.”

Rolling her eyes, Rae waited with impatience. “Fine.”

“If you believe I am upset for you acting on your own, it is not that simple. I know you can handle yourself well, in most cases at least, it is just the fact I want you to not be so headstrong. What if Augustine wasn’t as conflicted as he was?”

“Conflicted?” She parroted.

“Yes. He seems to have a good heart, something easily taken advantage of. Gus was torn between hurting you and getting away without doing so.” He explained.

Rae blinked. Now that she thought on it, he did seem to have been searching for a solid reason to do anything towards her. Damn, she felt a little bad that Vaun had scared him so much.

“Okay. So he’s a pretty cool dude.” Rae grinned evilly at her dhampir, tying to shift the conversation otherwise. “Then why’d you get so mad?”

The Born glared. “He was far too close.”

Rae rose a brow, not fully believing that was it.

“His close proximity warranted for more than one way to breach your.. safety .” He grumbled.

“Jelly bean.” She poked.

Vaun hissed. “You’re getting off track.” Rae cocked her head, grinning like a cat with a caught bird. “ _Fine._ I didn’t like him touching you either. But what if he had not been so plagued by his conscious?”

“I would’ve been fine.” Rae repeated.

She closed the empty space in the middle of them. Her knees brushing against his. The half-breed rattled, running a palm over his bare skull.

“I meant it when I said I would be lost without you, Rae.” He reached up and took her short lock of hair between his fingers. “You’ve become so much to me that this life would hold _nothing_ if you weren’t with me.”

“Don’t guilt trip me, you jerk.” Rae gently knocked his shin with her foot.

“I have no intention of doing so. I only say what I feel and that is the whole truth.” Vaun stated. “I will not box you into guilt or anything of that nature.”

Rae didn’t reply right away. Instead, she leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the forehead. “Okay, I get it, you dork.”

She swore this intimacy was short circuiting the poor dhampir a little as his body twitched harshly. He clicked self-conscious, the reaction to his chagrin. Rae didn’t understand why the random spurts of spasms quirked him but she pry or mind it.

She sighed, pointing a finger at his disassembled weapon. “Teach me then?”

“You needn’t to ask twice.” He reassured, recovered from his limbs sudden shudder. “But my weapon is a bit much for your… size.”

Rae glared. “These sticks are stronger than they look, thanks.”

Vaun blinked, confused at her analogy. “Sticks…?”

She flopped her arms against her sides, brow raised.

He shook his head. “Oh. You’re strange sometimes. Come here.”

* * *

Vaun settled her on his lap, uncaring for her lack of underclothes. Proper attire wasn’t needed for this interlude of a lesson. The Born had seen her bare flesh already, it wouldn’t be a distraction. He liked how his jacket- _just_ his jacket looked on her anyway.

He first informed her of the scattered parts names and their uses. He rattled off how he easily modified the weapon to operate how it does. Rae laughed at his apparent ‘pride for his baby’. Vaun rolled his eyes saying it was an accomplishment, why wouldn’t he be proud of it. The Born then explained how to arrange the pieces back into the gun’s complete and operable form.

She nodded and carefully picked up each fragment to restore it. Rae fumbled with some parts, a few she got backwards, others being either tricky or just needed the right amount of pressure to click back into place. Overall, she did very well for her first try.

“Okay, so the ammo goes in here like a normal shotgun?” She pointed at the slot in the chamber.

“Exactly."

But Vaun hadn’t expected the slivers of lust that crept in through their bond during this. Rae had fidgeted while in the depths of her concentration as she usually did but that movement caused certain frictions. Her hidden skin wasn’t much of an issue as it was the partially exposed flesh that rubbed against his thigh absentmindedly. Each time she shifted or moved her leg even an inch made that warmth pressed against him.

He gripped her hips gently to hold Rae in place firmly to cease this unknowingly continued action but instead that grasp rekindled the fresh memory of those hips bare and below him. How he dug his claws into that very flesh and bone to brace himself from the heavenly onslaught her body attacked him with. Also how very close he was to that most sensitive and inviting part of her…

It was now not only Rae’s vague strands of desire tying into him, it was his own reacting and threading greedily with her’s. That _scent_ was faint but gradually becoming thicker as perhaps their bond was working both ways, tuning each other into the want between them.

He nuzzled his forehead into the back of her smooth hair with a purr, inhaling her smell. It faintly reminded him of lavender each time he snatched a greedy whiff of it. Her scent, her presence always had a calming effect to him. But currently, all it did was enrich the climbing desire that rose steadily within him.

The scope clicked on and she gave herself a tiny clap. “Okay, so that’s it?”

* * *

Rae turned her head slightly to gauge his reaction but found herself closer than she first realized. Vaun startled a bit when their noses brushed from her changed position. They stared at one another, gaze flickering shyly back and forth to their eyes to their lips.

“Um…” Rae licked her mouth nervously at the thrumming static building between them.

His red eyes darkened with his newfound hunger as her tongue swept over parted lips. “Yes?"

She felt that charge grow stronger and brighter in the bond, coating her body in a film of electric excitement; little bumps rising all over her flesh in response to how he looked at her. Rae shuddered when his warm hand cupped the back of her head, claws softly digging into the sensitive locks and skin there.

Again he repeated the same thing, only this time with a more pressing hiss and tightening tug on her hair that delivered a shiver down her spine. “ _Yes?_ ”

With that breath holding her answer caught in her throat, Rae nodded. He purred, delighted with her consent. Vaun gripped her chin with his thumb and forefinger then enclosed their gap, pressing his lips to her mouth tenderly. She sighed in the kiss, captivated by his gentle approach.

He smirked against her lips. “Good?”

“Uh huh…”

He rattled, pleased with himself. They kissed slowly, nearly at an agonizing pace; to savour and memorize the unique taste of one another. A daring flick of his tongue spurred the passion to ignite. Rae’s breath hitched and she pressed harder into his mouth. Their lips meshing and devouring the others with a heated want. Vaun snarled lowly in their embrace when their tongues brushed. She allowed him entrance to explore unlike the last surprise invitation. He groaned as he tasted her mouth, mapping every crevice and dip. Vaun’s shudder changed into a violent twitch when Rae repaid the favour.

She traced the divots and ridges in his makeshift tongue until she prodded one fleshly valve to break apart so slightly. His red eyes snapped open at the feeling of her tongue trailing the inner ridges of his stinger. Her gaze conveyed mischief opposed to his caution. Vaun accepted that as a signal to begin his own mischief.

Rae paused immediately when she felt the other two valves split and trap her tongue within them. He rubbed and sucked on her pink flesh in ways that Rae didn’t believe was possible. The Born withdrew his stinger from her mouth earning a ragged sigh. He flashed another smirk as he carefully tugged on her hair again, guiding her neck to bend back and reveal the pale flesh he craved.

Ever so softly, he peppered chaste kisses over the slope of her throat; nipping gently here and there, tugging carefully on the skin. He couldn’t resist the temptation to run his lips along the pounding of her pulse, the beat alluring as the sounds she made in response to his advances. Rae gasped with half lidded eyes when his sharp fangs engulfed the vital point on her neck and began to suckle the delicate flesh there. Her spine arched into his torso when she felt that scrapping of his curious feeding organ.

The two small fangs raked over the source causing her to shiver in both mild fear and arousal; being pierced by it during this sent her thoughts into a dizzy spell. However, no matter how compelling that may be, Vaun departed from her pulse with a rough bite; making Rae half-whine half-groan in disappointment. He felt this and released the grasp he had on her mane.

“Please don’t ask that of me.” Vaun whispered. He traced his fangs over the curved shell of her ear. His wandering teeth latched onto her lobe and tucked it into his mouth, sucking on the flesh.

“Anything but that.” He semi pleaded, releasing her ear and trailing down the incline of flesh that connected her neck and shoulder.

“I wouldn’t- _ah_ care… you know.” She breathed. “What if you got hurt and- _mmmm_ … needed it.”

Her skin was going to be a blotched mess later. She could already feel that under the sharp grazes of his teeth. Oh what did she care? The world was a bit preoccupied to stare and gossip about her obvious heated marks. He rattled, mouth retracting from its bite and giving a loving lick on the small indents of teeth left in the ball of her shoulder.

“Mmmm, I don’t want to think about that right now…”

* * *

Vaun didn’t feel guilty in the slightest of denying her that… lustful request. He could make the bite painless for her but the idea of subjecting Rae to that was unfathomable.

His nails skimmed down the length of her arms, digging slightly into the soft flesh of waist before trailing over her stomach to grasp the heaving mounds of flesh. She may have belittled herself in this area of her body earlier yet the dhampir found they fit quiet perfectly in the palms of his hands. He wondered why she allowed such comments to bother her when their shape and size fit her form beautifully. But he also understood how his human worked.

How harmful a single remark could be. How an absent minded mention could set those gears in motion to doubt her self worth. How silly mortals could be when compared in light others although, he knew the same feeling. Decades of being held to the same standard as Quinlan’s talents and strengths, always falling short in one way or another. Never did he come to hate the older Born for it, but in his youth it did stir emotions of contempt towards him.

So Vaun knew on a personal level how Rae felt.

The Born rolled and pinched the sensitive buds of flesh between his fingers making Rae mewl and shudder. He would show her. Vaun growled as he grasped the soft round flesh harder earning a broken groan. He captured her mouth and hungrily devoured her moans and pants. He nibbled and licked her lips, distracting her from the last lucid thought she had.

Scenting that moisture become more prominent, his hands left her breasts and drifted south. He would spend the rest of his life to show her. Vaun hissed when his fingers met with the damp and dark curls that hid the slick and taut flesh he so fervently wanted to touch again. He hooked his forearm under her right thigh and angled it where she was spread open. Rae groaned when the tips of two fingers pressed into her weeping flesh.

Vaun would show her in this way and more how she mattered to him; how they mattered to each other.

* * *

“So this has been absolutely _amazing_ but shouldn’t we uh…” Rae paused in drying her locks, to peek under the towel at Vaun. “Check on Gus or something?”

They had taken longer in the showers than planned due to the dhampir’s obsession with her hair. Vaun had been captivated by her short hair since she let him touch it for the first time back home. He was utterly fascinated by it either because he doesn’t have a single strand or he was stalling. The Born seemed a bit reluctant to continue about the schedule.

He sat perfectly upright in his chair, knuckles pressing into his cheek as he leaned against that arm. His red eyes were dim, cloudy with some sort of sadness Rae couldn’t figure. She tilted her head to the side. “Um, you alright?”

Vaun didn’t offer a word, remaining statue like. Rae sighed. She wasn’t picking up this bond relay as fast as she would’ve preferred. Currently he felt like a void; as if a swirling mass of pitch had taken residence in his mind, leaving her in the dark. He had been kinda off on their walk -if she could call his super quick pace walking- back and hadn’t done much.

His militia wasn’t even on fully; pants were buckled and boots were laced, but he only wore a black shirt with his hood tossed on like an afterthought. Vaun looked very incomplete at this frame in time. She’d never seen him half-ass anything. Her shoulders dropped when that metaphorical lightbulb switched on.

“You don’t want to leave, do you?” She asked softly.

The half-breed didn’t so much blink. Rae mulled it over some more. “You don’t want _me_ to go out there again...” She ruefully whispered.

Vaun twitched at that. His sharp triangular teeth chewed on his lip. “No. _No I do not_. It’s awful admitting that I wish so strongly to control that option for you, yet I do not have the heart to refuse you. But I am also terrified of the outcome if-” His stinger made a gurgled groan.

Rae sighed. She understood why he didn’t want to her go. It wasn’t the whole ‘You can’t defend yourself because you’re just a tiny woman, so on so forth’, it was a selfish hope that pairs like them had in tense settings like this.

She walked over to the conflicted dhampir and brought his hunched form close. He wrapped his arms about her tightly and buried his face in her stomach with a sorrowful noise. Rae sighed, bringing her hands to his grip around her waist.

“If we got each other’s backs then we don’t have anything to worry about, right?” She asked, brushing her thumbs over the back of his hands encouragingly.

 _I’m not worried about your skills it is just I don’t want to fail_ **_you_ ** _._ His hold tightened a fraction. _What if I am not fast enough or-_

Rae cut off him sharply by yanking him off and tilting his head upwards to meet her hazel gaze.  
  
“There’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ involved in this hellish situation and I’m not about to count all of them. Fixate more on the possibilities, good or bad, then you’ll lose focus and really be fucked.” She pressed their foreheads together, insuring he wouldn’t glance away. “I go where you go, got it? Regardless if a damn horde of those things are on the other side of a door or not.”

Vaun stared at her, brows furrowed. “But-”

“Nope. No buts. Lemme ask you something. Did Quinlan abandon any kind of happiness with the The Master constantly threatening him?”

He shook his head.

“Does he regret his wife, his kid?” She stared at him firmly.

“No, he doesn’t…”

“Then why the hell are you letting this hang you?” She snarked.

“I don’t want to lose you…” He murmured pitifully.

Rae huffed. “Did Q want to lose them either? Do _I_ wanna lose _you?_ Don’t bloody think so. Being honest here, I don’t want _you_ to go back out there either! Humanity needs a swift kick in the ass if you ask me.”

Vaun blinked in quick succession at that statement. “You don’t care if your kind loses this?”

She looked to the side, a bit ashamed of what she was going to say next. “As long as you’re okay then no, I don’t.”

It was horrible to say but Rae had never really felt connected to people. She rarely fit in with crowds or peers, always considered the black sheep of the group. She was human too, she made countless of mistakes but she never felt a part of anything. What happened to them now was their own faults to reep.

Vaun considered his words. “If you were to leave, you’d take me with you?”

“That’s a no brainer, you dummy.” Rae scoffed at his insecure request. As if she’d just leave him here to deal with this mess alone; and if she did even entertain the idea of just hightailing it out of here, Ancients be damned. He was going with her.

This brought some mirth back to his miserable expression. He chuckled lightly, burrowing into her stomach again. “I love you.”

* * *

Gus glared at the bars from his crouched position in the shadows. If that blood sucker was coming back, he’d jump the son of a bitch and book it. He was not to mess around, feelin’ sorry for himself, to be some juice box ready whenever that thing’s ugly self got thirsty. Gus knew his temper got the best of him sometimes but the advice ‘Don’t get mad, get even’ kept playing over and over in his head.

He stood quickly, pressing his back as closely to the wall as he could, when he heard footsteps approach. The moment that door opened and the undead fuck walked in, he’d get even. Catch it off guard and knock its head, make its freaky ears ring. Then he’d slam the door, giving the creature a taste of its own medicine.

A pained wince crinkled his face as the wound that tiny woman inflicted on him reared up again.

That would be a problem for sure but Gus had to get outta here. There was no time to act like a baby over a cut. He had to get even with these fucking freaks! He had to get revenge for his mom!

Close. He watched the shadow cast over the cement floor. The door creaked open. It’s now or never.

“Where’d he go?”

He faltered in his launch when the chick entered instead of the freak. She startled at his sloppy attempt to stop, hopping to the right a short distance. _La niña_ wasn’t alone either. That thing was like her shadow; always a step behind and swift, it swept from behind her in a flash, grabbing him by the throat and slamming down flat on his back.

She stood off to the side, clutching some kinda box to her chest. Her brown eyes wide with surprise.

The air from his lungs forcibly evacuated in a pained huff. He grunted and rolled over, clutching his side. It growled at him. “Don’t do that again.”

Glasses grimaced at the show of the maneuver, one eye closed shut in imaging the hurt of the brunt force. She looked at the blood sucker but didn’t say anything. It trilled, cocking its bald head to the left. He stared at them confused as hell.

“I told you he’d be fine.” It grumbled suddenly, walking back near the door.

“Yeah well, not everyone is gifted like you with the super healing.” Glasses retorted.

She knelt down next to him, smiling sheepishly. “Don’t mind him. He’s just being a grump right now.”

The thing rumbled behind her, obviously not appreciating the term. She glanced at him and stuck her tongue out. He made that weird rattling again then turned around suddenly. Gus peered around the woman’s tiny frame with a puzzled glance. He swore he saw something familiar and human flicker over that thing’s face. Sorta like-

“Like I said, ignore him.” She placed a small dark box on the floor and opened it.

Inside was a whole kit for injuries and other small medical needs. Bandages, cotton, a few bottles of pills, you name it. This girl had it.

“Okay, so how about we look at your cut?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of angst, a little but of smut, and a little bit this and that. xD
> 
> Easter egg provided by essence with permission ;3


	28. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I can't muster any more musing for this filler chapter. I am sorry that the content is not as okay as it normally is, but I found out I'm dehydrated and stilled miffed over last night's episode of The Strain. So, forgive me for this crappy chapter. You guys deserve better but I'm not going to make you wait.

Once Gus had been patched up his sullen mood seemed to brighten. Rae had appeared to smooth over any ire she had provoked in him by her kinda dirty attack. Grinning at her minor victory, Rae stood and went to leave when he suddenly broke past them; dashing down the dark hall with all he had. Vaun didn’t react like she assumed he would.

The Born merely watched as the guy ran further and further until his form vanished in Rae’s line of sight. Seconds later he sighed tiredly. “He’s going to regret his choice of direction.”

Rae grew a shade paler. “Lemme guess, he stumbled in  _ their  _ room.”

He nodded and stepped out of the cell. “I should intervene before the boy finds himself in a more precarious situation.”

“Lar wouldn’t let…” She trailed off at Vaun’s blank stare. “Nevermind. He really would.”

Vaun rattled, glancing back and forth between following Gus down the hall and her. She knew the dhampir didn’t like her being near the Ancients anymore than she had to. Shrugging, Rae simply waved her hands in a sweeping motion.

“Go on,” She urged. “I’ll catch up later.”

He pressed his forehead against hers before departing after Gus. She watched until she couldn’t tell where his body was amidst the darkness. Rae decided to go find a mindless task to fuss with for now while they ‘negotiated’. 

She could try again to give Thor a bath. Poor thing was beginning to really stink. 

* * *

The boy had foolishly wandered into the Ancients chambers in his attempt of escape and stood defiant yet unnerved at their presence. A combo source that could be cultivated and molded to fit their needs in this battle. His burning thirst for revenge is what drove him, like another he knew, and the ever present corruption of greed in mortals helped seal the contact that gave Vaun another Sun Hunter.

“So, Sun Hunter…” Elizalde began amidst their walk to the training area. “What else is under that title scrip, _ese_?”

Vaun didn’t slow down or face him as this unwanted conversation popped up. He growled out, “Were you not listening before?”

“Yeah, but there’s always more. Like, I ain’t helpin’ feed those things man.” He refused. 

This was not surprising as none of the previous Sun Hunters offered to partake in that chore. It conflicted greatly with their humanity and the goal of their employment was often the reason. Vaun could understand. He found himself growing more distasteful of the act now that he was with Rae. Each time he drug a female to state their ancient thirst, a little piece of him bristled; imaging what if one day he would have to watch Lar present her in the same manner or worse.

“You needn’t to worry about  _ that _ . I oversee that task personally.”

He felt this calmed the young man slightly but the questions poured forth yet. Was this a nervous habit of his??

“Am I the only ‘chosen’ or is this like some group?” Elizalde asked.

He didn’t reply to that inquiry. However, his mouth still ran. Vaun sneered. It felt like he was fishing for something specific but what?

“The chick with the glasses, is she one?” He inquired, unknowingly pinching a nerve. 

Ah, so that was his goal? The Born rattled at this question. “The reason behind her presence is none of your concern.”

The young Born believed this dismissal would deter the boy from pressing on, yet he was not so easily directed. Gus continued. “Damn, I was just curious! Feel like I’ve seen her before is all.”

Vaun had felt that same sense of familiarity echo from Rae as well when they captured him. His mind went into overdrive trying to discern if they had indeed meet before this. Nothing came to him as he filtered through his memories of the time at her apartment. She hadn’t mentioned Elizalde either. 

He pouted as jealous thoughts evaded him. She had been quite upset with him during his absence…  **No.** Rae wasn’t capable of such. Besides, how could the Sun Hunter forget someone like her so easily?

The dhampir instantly felt horrible for his jealousy that had no real grounds to be there in the first place. She used to work in an eating establishment for God’s sake! Who knew how many faces Rae had seen throughout the day, even for a fleeting moment in time?

“By the way you all tense and shit, I’m gonna make a wild guess here.” Gus jogged a bit to be beside him. “She your girlfriend?”

He frowned at that word; such a loose title to describe what she is to him, what they are to each other. The bond was a powerful connection not constructed by petty or wistful feelings. It was a tie that would be with them for a lifetime. 

“I saw how you looked at her in the cell. You’re totally into her.” He chuckled at his observation.

“Did I not  _ just  _ state she is none of your business?” He bit back more harshly than he intended. 

The boy rolled his dark eyes and waved him off. “You one grumpy bastard, ya know that?”

“You are being insubordinate, do you know  _ that? _ ” Vaun threw back Elizalde’s smart remark with his own.

Gus pursed his mouth and Vaun suffered no more talk between them. It was getting to the point of intolerable. None of them, including Quinlan and Lar, was much for senseless talk. Either be direct or be silent, was Quinlan’s motto. Vaun currently would have preferred to remain with Rae, happily losing himself in her by various ways, but that was a childish want. There was work to be completed.

“I told you he was grumpy.” Rae’s voice lightly bounced off the walls to them. 

She stood with her hands tucked behind her, next to Lar who awaited them in a similar stance. He unfolded his arms across his chest and glared. “Arguing with your betters all ready, human?”

Gus curled his nostril at that. “Pfft, define betters.”

Vaun ignored them and instead spoke directly to Rae.  _ He’s going to be a handful, but useful.  _

She grinned.  _ Trouble makers are worth it. I used to be one believe it or not. _

The dhampir didn’t doubt that one bit.  _ Go ahead. You’ll train beside him when I trust he’s ready. _

Rae nodded and looked to Lar who busying himself with degrading the Sun Hunter. She rose a brow at the  _ strigoi _ . “Your only talent is sassing. Swear to God.”

He hissed at her. “At least I possess a talent, Williams.”

Gus chuckled. “You guys are just one weird fam, aren’t you?”

“ _ Family _ ,” Lar spat. “As if I could stand being related to either of these fools.”

“Then you’d be too lucky, right?” She said, smirking.

Elizalde laughed outright at Lar’s revolted expression. “ _ Luck? _ Damnation more like.”

“Enough.” Vaun shook his head. “We have preparations to accomplish.”

Both humans walked ahead of them, crossing the threshold into the training area. Rae kept her head downcast and shoulders tense as they walked together in silence. Her introverted nature resurfacing when faced alone with a new individual. Vaun could see her nervous habit working from here.

The Born was going to follow but was deterred by Lar’s odd behavior. 

Lar neared Vaun’s person too closely for the Born’s liking. He hissed in warning at the  _ strigoi  _ but he did not relent. Lar sniffed about his frame curiously. “You smell odd.”

He scowled at the invasive  _ strigoi _ . “Move away, Lar.”

The vampire took one final whiff before Vaun shoved him. Lar grimaced. “You actually coupled with her! That is absolutely disgusting...”

Lar earned a swift punch to his lower intestines with that remark. His stinger garbled and twisted in his gullet at unexpected pain. Vaun bared his fangs at the subordinate in passing who returned it with an enraged glare. 

“Where’s Lar?” Rae asked, leaning to search for him.

He gently gripped her head and turned it forward. “He’ll be along shortly.”

* * *

The session had lasted the usual length but Rae was paired with Vaun instead. The Born had traded places with Lar, stating Gus needed to establish the basics. Rae shook her head with a mirthful grin, knowing very well Gus blew her out of the water with even those. But the lesson went much more smoothly with her dhampir. He was patient and not so ruthless with demonstrations as the sentient  _ strigoi _ had been.

Both disappeared after it was over rather quickly, leaving the pair of mortals alone with themselves. Rae inwardly reeled with despair. 

The young woman fidgeted, fingers wringing. Her stance bent to a hunched position, her body displaying the retreat of her mind as it scurried to find a way to break the ice. She wanted to seem friendly, interested in working together but of course her nature would not easily allow such things.

Good God, it was like her first shift at the diner all over again!

Her hazel gaze peaked at the guy through her growing bangs. And he was fucking cute too, which made matters worse. She turned into an utter idiot when speaking to attractive people, that self-doubt constantly whispering in her the entire time. Rae may not be sexually pulled by sole appearance however, that didn’t put a stop to her timid behavior. 

“Hey, you good? Look like you’re zoned out there.” A palm waved in her vision, jerking her out of her hectic spiral downward.

“Erm… yeah? Sorry… I’m not good at this.” Rae swished her hand in the air between them.

He smiled warmly. “It’s cool. This is all kinda awkward, ain’t it?”

Rea sighed. “Definitely. One minute I’m waiting tables, then the next I’m being trained to shoot vampires.”

Gus nodded. “True that. Life is turned way the fuck upside dow- hold up, did you say waiting tables?”

“Mhm. I used to work at  _ Henry’s _ before this.” She confirmed.

Did he recognize her? Rae could’ve swore she knew him from somewhere. She bit a nail thinking back until he loudly exclaimed, “You are the  _ chica  _ from that night! I remember now! You served me and…” His dark eyes dimmed. “You were there when that freak jumped that family.”

Her eyes widened. “With the little girl, yeah! We called the cops but they arrested  _ you _ .” She crossed her arms. “They didn’t understand back then, although that still irks me.”

Gus shrugged and replied jokingly. “They missed me.”

“Sure,” Rae furrowed her brow. “Wasn’t there someone with you then? A big dude, real nice, and-”

“He didn’t make it.” He cut her off abruptly. 

Rae’s shoulders dropped. Oh fuck. “I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”

“You didn’t. At least you cared enough to ask.” 

They once again stood in a mute drift of the sensitive topic. Rae felt terrible for digging up painful instances. It must be a talent, Lar’s sarcastic voice drawled in her head. She pursed her lips, tucking an ankle behind the other.

“Are you hungry?”

His mood perked up a bit. “There’s real food in this joint?”

“Yup. I brought a stash from my place.” She told him, turning to go in the direction of her room.

The dude followed eagerly behind her, no words exchanged until they got to the room. He made a noise of surprise and jumped a little at seeing probably the last thing he’d find down here.

“ _ Mierda santa! _ A dog?!” His eyes were the brightest Rae had noticed since he got here.

He glanced at her as Thor stood before him, sniffing curiously at the leg of his jeans. “Is he your’s? Can I pet him?”

Rae nodded to both questions, giving him permission. He chuckled and bent at the knees to be level with her pet. Gus rubbed Thor’s floppy ears making the dog groan in content at the caring handling. She smiled and rummaged through her dwindling supply of foods. 

There was a can of store brand spaghetti, a few various type of fruit bars, and a bag of salty and greasy chips. She had a plastic bottle used for water which could be replenished down here easily. It wasn’t much, but it was all she had this moment. Rae had to remember to ask Vaun to head up soon to restock her stuff. 

“Um, it’s nothing fancy but,” She called out what little items she had. 

“Whatever you’re not looking forward to.” Gus replied with a grin, rolling Thor on his back and scratched his pink belly. 

“You sure?” Rae put an unsure hand on the brightly coloured package of chips.

“It’s no problem. I’m not picky.” He reassured. 

She pouted as she forked over the bag and two bars. Rae would split them with him, knowing he’d get hungry later. He thanked her and gave Thor one final pat before leaning back on the cement wall and popping open the chips.

Gus had shoveled in a few handfuls of the junk food before he’d speak again.

“How’d you wind up down here, anyways?” He asked, wiping his mouth clean with the sleeve of his jacket.

Rae flinched. How to answer that exactly? She wasn’t entirely certain how to approach this, being as Vaun never said not to freely say what they were, but she didn’t want to just give it away either; not that she was ashamed of Vaun. Gus smirked knowingly at her reluctance to indulge his curiosity.  

“I was so right! You  _ are _ bangin’ that ugly vamp!” He exclaimed, very proud of his discovery.

Her face flushed brightly with heat, embarrassed. Rae fumbled with her words. “Th-that is… fucking rude for one- I mean, there’s nothing w-wrong with it if I was, but… Don’t call him ugly, you ass! It’s not your business anyway!”

Gus laughed loudly, smacking his knee. “It’s cool, chill out! I ain’t judgin.”

Rae folded her thin arms across her small chest. “Sure sure, then why did they pick you?” She threw his own question back at him, wanting the conversation to focus on anything but her. His posture slouched.

“Dunno really, just told me I had potential. Those old crusty fucks made me a deal too.” He partially told. 

“What kind of deal?” She prodded, her curiosity flickering to life. 

“Cash, a shit ton of it,” He shrugged, petting Thor’s golden coat. “And revenge for my best friend, for my mama.”

That hit Rae like bricks. What of her family and friends (friend mainly)? How far had this invasion spread? She had thought of this previously but it didn’t linger; the whole shit storm with Vaun and then the rest had left her attention divided, now it no longer was and it was unsettling. 

Tears bubbled up swiftly at the corner of her light brown eyes as the realizations dawned upon her. Thor sensed her dismay and padded over, laying a snout on her leg for comfort. Gus grimaced at his unintentional triggering of her buried worry. “Hey, my bad, I didn’t mean-”

Her door was flung wide open and his attempt to soothe her was silenced as Vaun’s form filled the doorway. His red eyes were wide and frantic, obviously detecting her downhill emotional state through their bond. Those crimson orbs drew narrow at Gus’ presence. “What happened? What did you do?”

Rae rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. “I-It wasn’t his fault. I-I’m- I’m  _ fine _ .”

Damn her stuttering! It always reared up when her emotions took off. She tried to shove them back down, make it seem like everything was normal, but they were undeniable. Oh good God, her nose was already running!

Vaun growled lowly at Gus. The young man stood up immediately at the threatening noise, palms up. “She ain’t lyin’. I just said-”

“ _ Out _ .” The Born snarled, his iron grip denting the handle. 

“Got ya, boss.” Gus grabbed his chips and ducked out, keeping as much distance between him and Vaun. 

Thor did not move from his spot on her thigh as the dhampir quickly erased the gap between them once the door had been firmly shut. He sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Vaun used the other hand to brush away the fallen strands of wild hair from her tear stained face. 

“What is the meaning of this sadness?” He inquired softly, nuzzling her head. 

“I’m so selfish.” Rae sniffed out, curling further into herself.

Vaun clicked, deeply puzzled by this confession. “What do you mean?”

“My family, friends, they’re out there; alone and scared, yet I’m  _ here _ .” Her knuckles hit her legs in anger. “I don’t know how far this has spread or… anything!”

She was safe in the underground, being trained to combat these creatures, and finding love of all things but they are out there God knows what happening to them. Did anyone try to call her? How did her clan on  _ PSN _ , comprised of both teenagers and adults, fare? Jesus… Rae shoved her glasses up with a huff and buried her face in her hands.

The half-breed rattled. “Don’t blame yourself. I have not been forthcoming with the state of above.” 

“Then tell me,  _ please _ .” She begged through her palms.

He pressed a kiss into her hair before explaining. “The city is falling quickly. Currently, almost half of its residents are corrupted since the plane’s landing a month ago. The  _ strigoi  _ are pressing on New York’s boundaries… if we do not gain a win soon, there may be nothing to save.”

“So, my parents, my friends could be safe yet?” Rae asked, lifting her blotched eyes. 

“Yes, but this safety may not last much longer.” Vaun shifted in his spot, bringing her closer. He tipped her chin shifting her gaze to his. “I will do everything I can to ensure you are well first.” 

Rae gripped his wrist, his words about her loved ones a bit reassuring. “I’ll do the same for you.” She promised. “But, when this is over, I’m gonna need some serious vacation.”

He chuckled, nuzzling her. “We’ll go wherever you wish, so long as you permit me to follow.”

She rolled her eyes and playfully said. “If you’re allowed to break curfew.”

Vaun churred. “I owe them much, but they do not sway my heart as you do. I will go with you no matter what they say.”

Rae hummed. “So what’s next if we need to make such a big move?”

The dhampir rattled, releasing her. “It is a very important task, a mission that likely put us in favor if all goes well.”

She lifted her brows. “That sounds pretty hefty, what is it exactly?”

He sighed, deciding whether or not to disclose this information so readily. 

“Once Gus is ready we are going to abduct a very vital figure in the Master’s plans, his human cohort; we’re going to kidnap Eldritch Palmer.”


	29. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters guys. The closer I get to the end, the more I get sad lol. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Rae’s breath hitched as she narrowly dodged a screeching stinger. It sailed past her head, barely skirting past her hair. It was growing longer much to her annoyance. Need to hunt for a pair of scissors or hack it off with a knife, it was getting hot. She released the caught oxygen in a huff and aimed directly between those burning red eyes that thirsted so deeply for her blood.

The _strigoi_ fell to the concrete with a pained wail as the bullet pierced its frontal lobe.

“Gotta remember to get a tie for this shit.” She panted, pushing back the sweaty locks from her vision.

Gus wasn’t far behind her, dancing with his undead opponent. This wasn’t the first round of this real scenario training. It wasn’t practice with Vaun or Lar, this was like the real deal. And she could feel the anxiety emanating from Vaun as he stood with Lar and the other Hunters from above. His stance was absolutely rigid and crimson gaze mostly trained on her for the duration.

He kept his expression was calm and collected, but Rae could feel the inner conflict at him watching this; how badly he wanted to jump down and defend, yet also pride at how well she was handling herself. She needed to pass this final round to ensure both her and Gus were ready to snatch up Palmer, to fight out there once that mission was complete.

“Yo, short stuff, on your right!” He hollered in warning as another _strigoi_ lept from the shadow on her right.

She gasped in surprise. Rae still had difficulty controlling her flinching at their sneaky attacks. Her grip increased on the pistol as her hips twisted to face the creature. A former woman hissed at her, dark tendrils of hair still intact on her paling skull, keeping her distance for now as she sniffed the air.

Rae blinked and fired. It stood still, save for its twitches, but her shot flew harmlessly by. She growled under her breath. Fucking glasses!

 _Don’t let it anger you. Stay focused and keep distant._ They had agreed on keeping the bond’s wave closed while she trained but seemed her dhampir couldn’t help it.

“Yeah, yeah,” She mumbled, backing up and keeping mindful of Gus and his target.

It snarled and darted after her retreat. Rae’s heart stopped. Time seemed to slow down like it had before in her apartment building. Her limbs worked on their own. The barrel leveled with her its skull and her finger pulled the trigger. It collapsed.

“Look at you, gettin’ all badass on me!” Gus shouted excitedly at her.

Rae let out ragged exhale and glanced up at Vaun. He nodded once towards her, a minute smile gracing his long mouth. Those lessons did pay off after all. Her muscles remembered and instinct drove them to act.

Okay, okay, don’t let it blow up your ego, Rae chided herself. What’s left in the magazine? Vaun had told her the gun’s clip housed eight bullets. She was keeping track of them since the first _strigoi_. That meant… She should about five or four left. She sucked at math, okay?

Another pair of _strigoi_ jumped from the dark sidelines into the arena, interrupting her plan to physical check on the depleted numbers. She cursed mentally as she yet again hopped a bit at their suddenly arrival.

‘Get a grip! How is this shocking?!’ Rae scolded her rabbit like nature.

Both she and Gus ducked behind the cement pillars. Rae’s heart was pounding away like a war drum as she leaned against the cool pillar. Gus was heaving for a calm breath himself.

“Calm yourselves! If _we_ can hear you, then so can _they!_ ” Lar warned.

Gus inhaled deeply. His dark eyes looked to her. She took a shuddering gulp of air and nodded. He peeked around the stone but grimaced and quickly returned to his spot. Footsteps echoed loudly as the two vampires dashed to their location.

Rae tracked their steps. _3… 2… 1..._  A swift glance at Gus and they both nodded. As those hurried steps fumbled to a stop, they whirled around the pillar.

He got on the other side of the _strigoi_ dressed in a black jacket and she weaved around the one tailing her to be at its back, so when they fired neither of them would be in range of the other.

“You look like you had a rough night.” Gus joked, aiming but the gun only offered empty clicks. He scowled.

She had the same confusing result. The pistols were empty?! Her mathematical ability was awful but not this bad! How? She made sure to keep a score in her head. The flare of annoyance in Vaun told some of what probably happened.

“Hand to hand!” The Born growled while Lar smirked at his meddling. “Like I showed you!”

“I got you.” Gus said, dropping the gun and running at his _strigoi_.

Rae shoved her weapon back in its holster. She only practiced this technique with Vaun, who had no chance to infect her as the worms were absent in a Born’s body. Lar was not even allowed to train her in this as even a graze could be enough to turn her. She licked her lips in apprehension.

“Okie dokie then,” She grumbled, mirroring Gus’ movement.

She parried to the left as it attacked with its only ranged weapon. The stinger missed its mark. Rae dove in and shoved it backwards, the creature stumbled a bit at the slight force. The human Hunters continued this weaving and pushing dance until Vaun apparently had enough.

“Offense, not defense!” He shouted.

Rae cringed, both in disgust and pity. Vaun had explained to her the markings on his throat were not only for allowing the feeding organ to launch with ease, but in fact an opening lay hidden within the delicate swirls. Ignoring her reluctance to investigate such a delicate place, the dhampir snatched her fingers and carefully moved the pads of her fingers over the risen flushed skin. He guided her to trace around the swirls then into the dip, gently hinting to where the breach in his throat was. 

 _“It is very painful for a strigoi to die this way.”_ He said. _“Not only are you removing their stinger, but you also suffocate them as you do so.”_ Vaun told her the worm reworks the organs to form a massive factory more or less to move blood throughout the body. So, when snatching out the feeding organ, you unroot their lungs.

The female Sun Hunter pressed her lips together in a firm line, imaging such a sight. But there was no time to feel sorry for it. Rae launched her aggressive attack. She bent low at the stomach to dodge yet another strike from _strigoi,_ then delivered an uppercut to its jaw; successfully retracting the stinger back into its chest. Her sounds of disgust were drowned out by its screams and wails as her small gloved hands reached inside its throat.

Gus had beaten her to the punch. His _strigoi_ fell on its back with a fading squeal as he ripped the alien appendage from its body. He threw down the harmless stinger on the ground, making his own noises of repulsion.

“Ugh, this fucking _gross_ yo…”

Unfortunately, Rae’s would not relent so easily. Its red eyes glared at her intrusion and began to assault her with blunt blows to her shoulders and head. She hunched at the beatings but remained determined. Her slender fingers wrung tightly around its organ then tugged harshly on it.

She ignored Vaun’s climbing worry and pulled with all the strength her small form could muster. It groaned and screamed until the thing snapped completely from its base and slid out swiftly in her hold then onto the floor. A dozen worms squirmed on her gloves and around her feet, searching desperately for a host. Rae shook them off quickly and stepped back.

“You said it…” She grumbled in response to Gus.

Vaun and Lar jumped down from their loft up top. The Hunters kept their post as their superiors joined she and Gus below.

“Thanks for the two bullets, assholes.” Gus glowered, rolling his shoulder.

Vaun merely shrugged at his mild annoyance. “You should have checked the magazine.”

“Wait, you gave us the guns like that on purpose??” Rae balked, arms spread in disbelief. 

"You dealt with them fine enough." Lar remarked.

The Born hissed at Lar's unknown switch. “I gave  _her_ a fully loaded pistol.”

“That’s fair, Vaun.” Gus and Lar said sarcastically in unison.

He scrunched his nose at the pair. “I do not care.”

“I kinda do.” Rae lifted her exhausted limb in agreement with the boys. Yup, she just called Lar, most likely a century old or more, a boy.

“When is a battle ground ever on equal terms?” He chuffed.

Lar blinked his inner eyelid. “He has a minor point.”

Gus flung his arms in the air, exasperated. “Sure. Vaun only lookin’ for out his girl, is all. I’m just chopped liver.”

The dhampir growled lowly at Gus. “Both of you are equally important to this cause.”

“Uh huh…” Gus drawled as Lar rolled his eyes. “I ain’t your baby mama though.”

Vaun cast Gus a dark look, making Rae hightail over at the jesting mention of that. She got between the two, feeling the boiling anger in Vaun at Gus’ poor attempt to joke with the Born. Her presence divided his attention for a moment. He looked at her sadly.

“I cannot give Rae children.” He mumbled, tucking her damp hair behind an ear.

Rae gave him a sad grin. She didn’t care whether or not she had kids, but knew it bothered Vaun as he saw yet another option in her life that he took from her. Lar made himself scarce in light of the topic, leaving the three in an uncomfortable silence.

“Well… this got awkward as fuck…” Gus rubbed the back of his neck. “My bad…”

“Indeed.” Vaun hissed.

Rae couldn’t take the tense air. She opted to joke as she usually did. Knowing the _strigoi_ was still within earshot, Rae teasingly suggested. “We could always adopt Lar.”

They heard an aggravated growl echo. “I would willingly face the sun before I’d allow such a ridiculous convergence!”

“Yeah, you’d be a pretty boring kid anyway; always in time out with that sass of yours.” She shrugged.

Gus looked like his sides were going to split as he tried to contain his laughter. Vaun chuckled some at her antics and nuzzled the top of her head.

“You do realize,” Lar came storming back in, unable to drop it. “I am far older than you, Williams.”

“That’d be kinda kinky then,” Gus chimed in. “Callin’ her mommy and askin’ permission.”

Lar sneered, the sexual joke not lost to him. “That is _disgusting!_ You all are horrid!” His red eyes darted among them with utter revulsion.

“Enough. Go.” Vaun ordered, stepping away from Rae. “Get all prepared for tomorrow.”

The _strigoi_ hissed and shook his bald head at them before vanishing into the dark corridor. Rae heard clicks and heavy boots follow Lar’s exit. She sighed, stretching her exercised joints. A hot shower was in her future for sure.

“Okay, so in all seriousness now,” Gus turned to Vaun, unzipping his own Kevlar.

The Born faced him, waiting.

“You been having us run around like chickens, shootin’ vamps and shit, but nothin’ else. I signed up to fight them head on out there, not a controlled shooting range.” Gus said, unstrapping his thick gloves. “You tell me why I am so damn important, or I take my cash and get outta here.”

Vaun rumbled, not happy with Gus’ forwardness. Rae met his bleary gaze. He hadn’t fed much so engrossed in their preps for fighting and it was getting to him. His visage alone informed of her that. The discoloured hue of his skin, how his face seemingly aged a bit, even his body temperature felt off.

His dim gaze flicked to them and then the floor, slightly rolling his thin lips. Why was he so reluctant? Gus looked over his shoulder at her. “You know what they up to, short round?”

She bit her lower lip. “Uh…”

“We are embarking on a most important mission.” Vaun began, cutting her off.

Gus drawled. “Right then, what is it?”

“We are going to kidnap Eldritch Palmer.” He finished.

Rae swallowed nervously. She had a sick churn in her stomach ever since Vaun informed her of this and it hadn’t faded in the slightest. Gus blinked, puzzled. “Palmer? I’ve been there, at Stoneheart. Some pasty German works-”

Vaun held up a hand. “The Ancients and I are already aware of this.”

“Good for you.” He quipped.

“I didn’t even know he was still alive honestly.” Rea shrugged innocently.

Gus chuckled. “To be honest, I didn’t either.”

“Alright, enough banter.” Vaun stopping any conversation that might have started. “Take a moment and then I’ll brief you both over the task’s details.”

Gus got a smirk on his face as he called out a suggestion. “Are you sure you don’t wanna go over it with Rae _personally_?”

The dhampir shot him an unamused look. Gus had badgered him about her since he ‘figured’ them out. Rae thought it was funny, but Vaun did not find much humor in his consistent poking. He growled warningly at the Sun Hunter and disappeared down the long hallway without another glance.

Rae sneaked a half playful jab into Gus’ bicep. “He’s gonna choke slam your ass to the ground again if you’re not careful.”

“I’m just messin’. You two are so easy to poke, especially you Glasses. It’s kinda cute when you get all flustered.”

Gus jumped a few inches when a threatening snarl echoed from the shadows where Vaun had vanished into. He grimaced, leaning sideways a bit to see if the Born could still be seen. Gus shrugged when his eyes couldn’t discern Vaun's body from the lack of light.

“Someone needs to turn down their hearing…” He mumbled, walking down the more bright passage.

She shook her at head at him with a faint grin. “More like someone needs to chill out for a while.”

He agreed, not realizing Rae meant him. “Yeah! I mean, I don’t do it all the time.”

Rae coughed “Talkin’ about you” into her palm while staring at Gus. He frowned.

“Girl, that ain’t fair; sidin’ with your boyfriend. I’m hurt.” The Spanish man pouted, folding his hands over his heart.

“Psssh, you got over me stabbing you. Pretty sure you’ll let this one slide.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Har, har. I’mma never forget that, forgive you sure but forget? Naaah.”

Rae rolled her eyes. “Mkay.”

The two eventually meandered to their usual hang out, a spot in the tunnels that held the most light and closest to the surface. A chilly breeze drifted down making Gus sigh in relief but had Rae shudder. She _hated_ the cold. Gus tossed a water bottle to her and settled on the chilled ground. He untwisted the cap of the plastic bottle and practically inhaled the water within.

She took ginger sips, enjoying the cool. Being around a constant source of heat that Vaun seemed to be made out of made her wonder if she loved a Born or an oven. Rae chuckled at her little joke causing Gus to inquire about the one sided hilarity. The pair wandered into conversation, the paths of topic trekking all over the place. One moment they were talking about life before, hobbies or interests, then winding back to present.

Their talk was halted when Lar appeared like a ghost out of the shadow. His expression was stern.

“Patrol starts immediately. Gus, you’re with me. Williams, Vaun is waiting for you in the West exit. Hurry up.” He ordered quickly, not waiting for them to reply or make sure they were following.

“Hey, what’s the sudden bump?” Gus asked but fell upon deaf ears.

This wasn't too abnormal as they would walk the perimeter, securing each way in and out throughout the nest Lar referred it as. It was the off timing and urgency of it that had them concerned. But, they shrugged at one another then departing in opposite directions. That nasty feeling increased tenfold in her stomach as Rae hurried to join Vaun. There was something up, but she no clue to what.

Rae finally made it, no thanks to her short legs, to the opening that led into the sewers. Vaun stood at the entrance with two Hunters flanking him, their backs facing her. One chittered curiously upon her arrival, tilting its head to the side. The dhampir growled lowly at it, turning to meet her halfway. She grinned at him but the Born did not return the gesture. Instead, his face remained grim and he handed her a new clip for her gun. Rae grabbed it without prompting and loaded it quickly, but glanced worriedly at Vaun. 

His gaze was far away, like focused elsewhere. 

Vaun blinked rapidly as if released from a daze. He rattled when he felt her eyes on him. 

His hands came up to cradle her face, thumbs brushing softly over her cheekbones. _Listen to me. I need you to stay by me while we are down there. Do not wander and keep an eye out, clear?_

 _What’s going on?_ She grabbed his wrist with her free hand.

 _The source of this uprising has faltered in hiding itself, giving its presence away for a fleeting moment. It was fatally attacked and forced to take cover below, near our location._ He rubbed his forehead against her brow. _We_ **_must_ ** _find it._

So many questions buzzed in her mind and he felt each one. Vaun promised to explain when the proper time was allotted to them. He squeezed her hand.  _Be on guard and please, **do not** leave my side for anything._

Rae nodded, even though her bones shook. You’d think she would be used to this by now, but obviously not. This sudden hunt for an **Ancient** no less, paired with the sour sense of foreboding that yet to diminish created a most unnerving anxiety.

 _Let’s go!_ He barked in their connection to all of them.

Rae was up front with Vaun leading while the pair of Hunters covered their backs. She stuck by him as he requested, gaze wildly searching every crevice of the darkness for The Master as it was called. Did it look like the other three Ancients? Could each of them do different things? It stood her hair on end with each crazy possibility her mind created of what exactly could jump out of the shadows and kill her.

Vaun felt her unease and gripped her hand tightly. 

They stalked the tunnels connected to the massive underground sanctum these vampires called home. With so many passages, it would be easy for someone to get lost. Eventually, they'd regroup with Gus and Lar who took the rest of the pack on the opposite end; the goal being to converge and hopefully trap this infamous creature.

It felt like hours has passed, drudging around in the skulking dark caverns that resembled an endless maze to a wanderer. The scouting was devoid of noise except Rae's sneakers squeaking against the damp pathways and the other's clicking and rumbling. Rae kept glued to Vaun like one of those seeds that stuck annoyingly to your jeans, her eyesight not fully adjusted to the pitch surroundings the further they ventured. She had forgotten to grab a flashlight so he was her guide, which the Born did not mind in the slightest.  

Up ahead, a ray of light penetrated the shadows. This section connected to a newer part that was still under construction and led up to the surface by stairs then ladder. A room which the light emitted from rumbled. Sounded like a boiler maybe?

She unattached herself from Vaun at the warm panel of light. Rae picked up the pace once that light shed some visibility on her path. The Born growled when she got out his reach. "Rae, come back!" He hissed.

"I'll wait. Chill out." She didn't know why she was so giddy at this silly prospect of light and closeness to the above. She hated outside usually. But then again, this sort of end of the world situation made one realize how much they take for granted.

Her eyes blinked as she drew near, even the most gentle of illumination stung. She was staying underground too much, she told herself with a mental sigh. What else could she do though?

Rae stopped just at the frame of the door when footsteps swiftly entered the room. Ragged breathing echoed in the heated chamber. She swallowed, clicking the safety off her pistol. It didn't sound like a _strigoi_ or Ancient, but she didn't want to be unprepared either. Licking her lips, Rae went to go in when a warm hand settled on her lower back making her kick over an empty glass bottle on its side. That scream which nearly broke free past her mouth was caught by another flaring hot hand.

“Show yourself!” A rough yet wheezed voice demanded.

A startled and muffled squeak was all she could do when Vaun could be noticed out of the side of her eye. He bit her thundering pulse in retort for running ahead of him.

 _Be calm,_ He whispered in her mind. _He is merely an elder. However, he is not entirely feeble either. **Stay here**. _

_Sure thing, you asshole._ She shook him off, angry.

He rumbled at her fury with a smirk. Rae pouted at his reveling in her fright.  _You are not funny._

The Born shook his head.  _Then do not put so much distance between us when we're hunting._ He was gone before Rae could reply to his remark.

She did stay behind, letting the Hunters breeze past her to corner the old guy. Why'd they want him anyway? 

* * *

 Rae followed Vaun back into the sanctum, the Hunters trailing behind with the old man in tow. Gus waited for them up ahead, the other Hunters in the shadows of the columns. They shoved the man forward and stepped back, allowing Vaun to take over. The Born motioned for Gus to join. One _strigoi_ handed off the cane it took from him.

"Make any sudden movements and I'll kill you. Nod if you understand." He said.

The old guy nodded and Vaun snatched the black fabric bag from his head. A pair of eyes underneath bushy brows blinked at the shift from smoky darkness to the dim light. 

“ _What?_ ” Gus scoffed, grinning at the old man. “You nabbed yourself a pawnbroker, boss. He ain’t no threat.”

“You’re the idiot brother of that man child who stole my clock.” The pawnbroker huffed, recognizing Gus from before. “Give me back my cane!” He growled, moving quicker than Rae thought he could to snatch it.

Vaun moved slightly in response to the elderly man’s movement but Gus handled it.

“Whoah whoah now, I brought your clock _back._  Chill out.” He whistled impressed when he unsheathed the cane to discover a hidden blade. 

The Born sneered at it, cringing. The sword must've been made of out of silver to spark a reaction like that out of him. Rae stared it with wide eyes. She'd only seen those in movies. 

"Alright. Shut up. Let's go." Vaun ordered loudly, moving away to the stairs that led down towards _them_.

Rae furrowed her brow, sucking in her lower lip. She really did not want to go down there. The things freaked her out on a level she didn't think was reachable and that was unsettling. Her first encounter with the Ancients was a bluff, a lick of luck that granted her some amount of courage to stand ground. Imagining going before them again just made her tremble.

She trailed behind Vaun reluctantly, placing the old man between her and Gus. It didn't take long to reach the only entrance into their chamber. The silence was a bit tense but the guest, she used that term loosely, broke it. 

“You both side with this filth?” The old man inquired with disgust as they trailed down the stairs.

“Know what they say OG, gotta stay on top of the food chain.” Gus rolled with elder gentleman’s quip.

Rae curled her nose at the man’s harsh tone and words, but remained quiet. He didn't deserve an explanation.

His old yet sharp eyes found her glaring gaze. “And you, young lady, what have they promised you? Or is your soul already corrupted by

“I wouldn’t old ma-” Gus started to warn but Vaun rounded on the man before he could finish.

The dhampir moved Rae slightly out of the path, closer to him, and growled loudly. “You will be silent and approach with all due respect."

She looked to the old man with narrow eyes. "Look, _nobody_ speaks for me but _me_. I'm here for my own reasons."

He didn't have a reply to that or kept his words to himself. Either way, Rae didn't care. 

Lar had been waiting for them below. The _strigoi_ glanced in their direction once they stepped off the stairs. He was left to guard the Three while they were scouring the tunnels. If the Seventh was indeed down here with them, they couldn't be left alone. Vaun nodded at the _strigoi,_ beckoning Lar to him.

He crossed the room quickly. Rae could feel they were speaking telepathically since his and her bond seemed to hum when Vaun talked this way. Lar blinked and looked at Rae.

"Come on, Williams," He said. "Your presence is needed elsewhere."

Rae was puzzled. If Gus was staying, she would as well. Vaun detected her flare of defiance and urged her to go along with Lar. She fought him of course, albeit mildly considering the circumstances.  The dhampir hissed at her arguing. "Listen. Please." 

She frowned at him and stomped off with Lar. The _strigoi_ shook his bald head as he walked beside her. "Don't be harsh with him. He only thinks of you."

Rae huffed at the wild strand of hair out of her sight. "Oh yeah? Didn't feel that way."

He rattled. "I thought you two were bonded? Or are you just that dumb?"

"Huh?" She hated how the sounded.

Lar grumbled. "He knows you have no wish to be around the Ancients. Plus, today is the day we _feed_ them."

* * *

Rae sighed with a minor pang of relief. The shower definitely did the trick and washed away more than the buildup of sweat. However, despite how tranquil the hot water had made her feel, that nauseous pit in her stomach barely leveled out. She was chewing on her bottom lip, standing half dressed lost as her mind mulled anxiously, when a hand tugged her back to reality.

She let out an awful squawk of fright being so deep in thought. Her face flushed even worse combined with the scare and steam from the shower. Rae turned to face her  with a scowl. "Damn it, Vaun!"

The dhampir clicked, stifling his amusement. "I'm sorry, love. I tried to be more conspicuous, but you were heavily engrossed with your thoughts."

“Is something troubling you?” Vaun’s red eyes drifted over her form with concern.

“Sorry…” She sighed again, but squeezed his warm hand. “My brain is just turned on the highest setting for some reason.”

The dhampir chittered, a frown tugging on his long lips. “That sounds… vexing.”

She grinned faintly. “Oh yeah,” His palm that cupped her face dropped, but intertwined instead with Rae’s fingers.

“Can I be of any assistance? The sense of foreboding you have is quite staggering when one has nothing to fret over.” He said, letting Rae swing their joined hands for her benefit.

Rae hummed, wondering if she should bother explaining her silly apprehension. Her hazel gaze wandered to his face. Even without the aide of her glasses, she could tell Vaun was exhausted and peckish.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve worked myself up, is all. But you,” She released his appendage and poked him square in the chest. “Still haven’t eaten yet. What’s up with you putting it off lately?”

Vaun drew his mouth into a thin line. “I have been distracted.”

She also knew her nonchalant approach to the topic of his _meals_ unnerved him a bit, sending him off balance on how she did not seem to care that he fed upon her kind. Rae understood that he nothing else to feed on and he no other choice, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was one hundred percent settled with it. If she let it brew in her mind, actually think about it, then of course it was horrid. Then again, it did not mean she loved him any less. He had to eat. 

Rae just accepted it and moved on.

“Don’t worry about me.” The Born parroted her words, brushing his nose over her hair.

It was her turn to roll an eye. “Hey, I love you no matter what you look like but,” She gently tapped his jaw with a worried pout. “You look so damn _tired_.”

His crimson eyes lowered. “I am however, I must consider you. You’re troubled yet.”

She crossed her arms with a huff at his deflecting. “I’m good.”

Vaun trilled unhappily and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You lie.”

“Okay then,” She glanced up at him. “I’ll make you a deal. I will tell you what’s up with me if you go do _your thing_.”

The half-breed seemed to consider her proposal seriously until Rae caught a glimpse of playfulness flash in those ruby eyes. He purred, knowing it was becoming an easy way to calm her and also being her weakness. “I will comply only _if_ you inform me of ‘what is up’ with you first.”

She scowled in spite of growing drowsy already. “Not uh, you cheater.”

He pursed his lips in mock distaste. “How many times must I tell you otherwise? _I am not_.”

Rae stuck her tongue out at him. “Sure, sure." Vaun increased the volume of his purring and nuzzled her collarbone. She huffed. "You’re really persuasive then.”

 _If only…_ She would think back on in a time of utter and complete regret and sorrow. If only she had not given in so easily to her dhampir’s ploy. If only she hadn’t fallen asleep tucked into that warm and safe hold of his arms that maybe... Maybe it wouldn’t have turned out that way…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onto Palmer's oven of death. T_T
> 
> Note: I implore you to read on despite what you fear may happen.


	30. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is not as long as I would've liked but I don't like adding details that we already know about. We all know what Palmer's office looks like. Grrrrr! Anyways, you guys have a good idea on where this chapter is leading. I understand what many of you fear, but all I am gonna say is: keep calm and read on.

“So, we’re gonna steal  _ that  _ van.” Rae nodded from her place in the shaded alley.

“You bet, Glasses.” Gus confirmed, giving the name on the vehicle's smooth and dark paint job a sideways glance.

Rae huffed, her growing bangs flipping upwards by the slight blast of oxygen. She was grateful to be outside, breathe fresh air, but she wasn’t too keen on the running part of this. Granted there wasn’t much involved however, cardio was  _ not  _ her friend.

But it had to be done, an opportunity presented itself and offered a cover to get Vaun and his Hunters inside _Stoneheart_.

Lar had been prowling the area near _Stoneheart_ and relayed some good intel. He discovered a pattern of sorts. A maintenance vehicle apparently had regular rounds to the company. How long the  _ strigoi _ had been watching all of this was unknown to Gus or her.

Sassy pants, Rae’s ever so loving nickname for Lar, informed them of this schedule and provided a route with a time. Currently it was 11:15, the  _ strigoi  _ said it should arrive promptly at 11:20 but she and Gus headed out early to pick a spot for look out just in case.

Rae cast a subtle glance at the dirty window in the building next to her. She grimaced at her profile. Her complexion had gotten so pale ever since departing under the city a month ago. She prodded at her skin, poking it with distaste. How had she gotten so pasty looking so quickly?!

“Okay, this totally random but bear with me.” She said, making Gus sigh.

“Shoot, I guess.” He shrugged.

Rae bade him to look at her. “In all honesty, how horrible do I look?”

The Spanish man rose his brows. “You for real? Fussin’ over your looks when we about to jack a van? Give a girl a mirror and she gonna stare at herself...”

Rae blushed, embarrassed by her sudden outburst on her appearance of all things but her anxiety wouldn’t hear a lick of sense. This entire mission was making her go nuts! “I get super wrung when stressed out, okay? I haven’t stolen anything before! Plus, that was sexist as hell you know.”

“Psh, never? White girl to the core, are you?” He chuckled. “No offense.”

She glowered. “What?! I haven’t stolen anything that didn’t fit in my hoodie, you asshole! That big ass van is not just going in my pocket!”

“There we go. I knew there was a rebel in there.” Gus snickered. “What did you snatch? Candy bars? I’m inspired.”

“If you gotta know, it was mostly trading cards or video games…” She mumbled, pouting.

He nodded enthusiastically, somewhat impressed. “Wow. Okay, that’s kid stuff but it still takes some _cojones_. Proud of you, Glasses.”

Gus and that damn nickname...

Rae rolled her eyes and replied with sarcasm. “Glad to be noticed, senpai.”

“Senpai will always notice you.” He winked playfully.

_ Both of you pay attention.  _ Vaun’s voice echoed loudly between them.

Vaun had been mildly upset that Rae’s attention was diverged between he and Gus. She picked up real quick that he was not an easy goer with sharing. The Born was not totally free like him to be around her so often and Vaun didn’t hesitate to snatch her away when he had time, even if she and Gus were the middle of a conversation.

The Born discovered he could access Gus and create a mental bridge of sorts through their own unique bond. Gus had been weirded out at first when Vaun first attempted it without warning him first. Although it was definitely worth seeing Gus jumped a good few inches off the ground and yell rapidly in Spanish at the sudden myserious intrusion.

“Can he get any louder…” He grumbled, rubbing his ear.

“He’s just a jelly bean. He’ll get over it.” She stated.

“Yeah…They can be pretty nasty sometimes.” Gus jabbed with humor.

_ Enough!!  _ The dhampir barked.

“Got it, got it. Chill out, boss.” He motioned for Rae to get ready. “Our ride is here, right on time.”

Rae took a deep and steady inhale to calm her nerves. Two men hopped out of the vehicle and strode into the eating establishment. According to Lar, their lunch roughly lasted thirty minutes to an hour, giving them plenty of time to snag the van and pick up the Hunters on the street blocks down. Gus counted with his fingers, watching the men walk to their table.

Once his final digit curled into a fist, they were off. Casually, the pair wandered the sidewalk and made their way across the street. Traffic was still prone to be heavy at this interval in time, allowing them small windows to book it between cars. 

Why they chose to do this in broad daylight was baffling to Rae. 

She understood the element of surprise hence Palmer already knowing about _strigoi_ and their intolerance to the sun, but that knowledge worked both ways. The seasoned businessman always reminded her of the  _ Simpsons _ character Mr. Burns. So, working closely with such a powerful creature like an Ancient… wouldn’t that mean he’d have a plan in case the deal went under?

Ridding herself of those ponderings, she continued to match Gus pace for pace. They had to get in simultaneously and take off. Glancing at the restaurant, Rae noticed the workers had seated themselves not so wisely. They had their backs turned on the vehicle left parked on the side. If she and Gus were fast enough, they may just get away without alerting them. 

“Ready?” He asked, eyeing the truck. 

“About as I’ll ever be,” Rae sighed.

Gus slid the door open and ushered her inside. Rae bounded over the seats and kept an eye on the workers. They didn’t throw a peek in this direction. Gus reached under the wheel and opened the compartment where the wires of the ignition and other important components were stored. 

“Hurry please,” Rae mumbled, heart racing. 

“Keep your panties on.” He grumbled, twisting a green and red wire together.

She turned slightly to glare at him to see a spark and the engine shook and roared to life. Her brown eyes flicked to the men; still unobservant. Gus hollered with victory as he shifted it into gear and pulled out into the busy traffic. 

Rae openly gawked in absolute disbelief as they passed the restaurant without the men even noticing. “You’re fucking kidding me…”

* * *

Gus slyly grinned at his quite passenger. Rae got lost in her thoughts a lot and it always gave him a chance to scare her. They had a few blocks yet until the gruesome vamps and he wanted a little fun before snatchin’ some old rich fuck. Vaun’s ire be damned.

He waited until the street was mostly empty, watching the last car pass them before sharply turning the steering wheel to the right. It jerked Rae right outta la la land with an startled shriek, brown eyes growing from wide with shock to narrow anger. Gus laughed loudly at her scrunched expression. 

“Girl, you outta have seen yo face! Reacted like a cat!”

“Oh my God, you are such an ass!” She hissed, glaring holes in him.

“ _Oh my God Gus, you are such an ass!_ ” He mocked her in that high pitched feminine tone, placing a mock insulted hand to his chest.

Rae almost fucked up trying to stifle her laugh, her lips trembling to cage it. Gus grinned widely. “You know it’s funny, Rae. ‘Cause like, that was like gold.” He drawled in the same mind numbing voice. 

She did fail at holding her amusement this round. Rae full out snorted in the midst of her giggling. Her palms rushed to cover her mouth when the noise escaped.

Gus pulled up the curb, sides threatening to burst at holding in the laughter. He parked the van and finally lost it. His neck fell back, allowing the noises of his humor to bellow. Rae sank further into the seat, scowling and face burning red. His hands covered his mouth just as the Hunters rounded the corner, Vaun leading with a scowl to match Rae’s.

The Born gestured for the others to pile in the back as he quickly walked around the front to Rae’s door. He threw it open, glowering at Gus. “What is so damn amusing?”

He tried to answer, seriously he did, but it was hard enough to catch a breather. Gus forced his lungs to accept the gulps of oxygen as he calmed down to tell Vaun. “Bruh, Rae,  _ Dios Mio _ , she fuckin’ snorts!”

Rae tugged her hood as far down it could be, gritting her teeth in embarrassment. Vaun glanced back and forth at them, slightly puzzled. “Why are you finding this so humiliating?” He asked Rae. 

“Because it sounds so stupid!” She  _ almost  _ whined from beneath the cover of her hood.

The dhampir was even more confused than before. Had she not laughed like that in front of him? Cementing that guess, Vaun cast him a dark look.

“Shut up and drive.” The Born snarled, slamming the door and heading to join the rest in the rear.

Gus waved in compliance, shifting the gears to go forward. He wiped a tear from his eye. 

“This is gonna be a good day.” Gus chuckled, driving towards one of the tallest buildings in the city. 

Rae ruffled her nose but said nothing in retort. Instead, she became dreary and leaned back in the seat; hazel gaze flickering over the streets with a sort of troubled look. Gus frowned at her reflux in attitude. He gently nudged the ball of her shoulder. 

“What’s with the gloom, shortness?”

She sighed, straightening up in her posture. “I just want this over with.”

“I feel ya. This is mission is pretty heavy. I’ve done some shit but I ain’t ever abducted someone.”

Her fingers rolled nervously like they always seemed to do when she was tense. She licked her lips but kept her eyes glued to the floor. “I'm not sure if it's what we're doing or what exactly.” Rae rubbed her palms flat over her dark jeans. “Since I got told about this, my stomach has been nothing but knots. I don’t understand why.”

Gus got the picture pretty clearly. He remembered his first job with Crispin all those years ago. He mirrored her in every way, actin' like a mouse; easy to frighten and unnerve by the slightest gesture. Gus learned real quick to stiffen that upper lip and go in stride but Rae wasn't built for this. Her anxiety wasn't unfounded but how hard she was taking this was a bit concerning.

 

He had overheard Vaun and her during the nights before today. The Born would reassure her as many as times that she needed but it didn’t seem to make a dent. Gus knew some stuff was complicated, certain things couldn’t be talked down yet, this was a bit weird for her. He may have only known her for a handful of weeks but he could tell her current behavior was odd.

“Well, after we bag this old shit, how about we grab some grub? Just you and me, wherever you want.” Gus had to bang on the steel wall to disengage an angry snarl directed towards him. “As  _ friends _ , you possessive old man!”

Rae cast him a dubious glance. “Oh, yeah? Like where?”

Gus flopped his shoulders. “Dunno. There’s some joints around here still in business.”

She shrugged but didn’t outright say no. Gus smiled. It’ll be a good day.

* * *

Rae’s heart screeched to a painful halt when the van’s tailgate scraped gently against the loading port. They arrived. She inhaled through her nose attempting to regain some normal function over her organ, hoping Vaun was unaware of her storming anxiety; however, that was wishful thinking on her part.

The bond would have already informed him of her current state of utter foreboding if her heart had not already done so. Biting her lip hard, Rae swallowed this bitter taste of dread down and shoved the door open. She jogged around the truck to be along side Gus.

‘Stop it stop it. Nothing will go wrong.’ She repeated this over and over until it became a hopeful chant in her head.

Gus rapped on the connecting door and waited, only adding more fuel to the sparking fire in Rae. A figure bobbed in sight through the thin vertical window, then the door clicked. A rich brown skinned greeted them with a professional smile. 

“Good afternoon, what are you folks here for today?” He inquired, perching his tablet on his forearm. 

“Routine maintenance.” Gus said smoothly. 

“Ah, good, I thought we were scheduled for one soon.” He flashed a smile and swiped the screen. “Let’s see,  _ McCormick's _ , correct?”

“That’s us!” Rae chirped.

“Wonderful,” The warm smile still painted on his face. “I’ll unlock the door so you can unload your equipment. A moment please,” He shut the side entrance, leaving them to go in the back and acquire their ‘tools’.

Gus vaulted himself into the back, his boots thudding against the wooden floor.

“We’re in boys,” Gus whispered, smacking the lids lightly in passing as he grabbed a kit.

“Hopefully,” Rae mumbled behind him, picking up her own little bag which sat atop the container Vaun hid inside of. 

Gus pulled the door up, meeting the _Stoneheart_ employee on the other side. He flashed another friendly grin as they hopped to the floor. “Your workplace ID’s please,” He held out an expectant palm.

Rae’s eyes went wide for a second. They didn’t have any! She was about to panic at their fuck up but Gus never faltered. “Sure, one sec.” He fished in his coat pocket and produced a card.

The _Stoneheart_ employee took it and ran the plastic card through the scanner clipped to his tablet. It gave Rae a moment to conjure up some sort of believable excuse since she couldn’t magically provide an identification! The little light flared green. 

“Thank you very much, Mr…” A dark brow rose at the name. “Carlson.”

“No problem,” Gus looked to his shiny tag. “Gordon.”

Gordon turned to Rae now, politely extending his hand. “Ma’am?”

“Uh… I just started. Apprenticeship. They haven’t created an ID for me yet.” She explained, refusing to wring her hands.

That sounded legit, right? 

Gordon looked to protest but Gus intervened. “Rules, sir. Gotta make sure she’s gonna stick around. Waste of funds if she doesn’t commit. You understand.”

It didn’t settle very well at first but, Gordon relinquished it with a sigh. “She stays with us, at all times. Clear?”

“How else is she gonna learn?” Gus patted Rae on the shoulder. “I make’em work.”

Rae cast him a crooked smile, not one for making small talk easily. “Yup,”

The employee bobbed his head in silent agreement and turned to escort them inside. Gus trailed along with his cart, leaving her behind to shut the truck. She spun on her heel to face the vehicle.

Rae reached for the steel handle of the door, balancing on the tips of her toes and tugged it closed. It latched securely but not locked. She sent a thought before leaving.

_ Be careful. _

* * *

Rae gulped as the elevator ascended towards the _Stoneheart_ penthouse shifting that ball of unease rolling aimlessly in her stomach. Gus had knocked out the security swiftly enough, but how much time did that really buy them? The cameras in here were coated heavily with black spray paint and one guard wouldn’t reply on the radio. It’d raise a few alarm bells, yeah?

Gus appeared to be more confident of the current wave of events, unlike her. 

How easy it was to get this far was unnerving a bit. There may no Mana potions or Fairies to capture in jars, yet this climb gave her the chills like before entering a Boss area. While real life was by no means a video game, it’s the vibe Rae was experiencing currently. Palmer may not have levels of mini bosses between them and him, but he did have a deep supply of cash to purchase systems to combat _any_ threat; especially dangers like _strigoi_.

Her worried gaze flicked to the top right. Despite the covered lenses blocking the live feed to the inside, Rae didn’t feel watched any less. She doubted they didn’t notice the pitch relay by now. Money bought a lot of things, including consistency. 

He picked up on her fretting. “Hey, chill. I used to have friends that’d ghost ride in the projects all the time.”

She frowned, not totally reassured by that. Knowing Gus’ type of friends, they were most likely in jail or worse. Rae pursed her lips at that stab, tad below the belt there… But in all honesty,  _ everyone  _ was worse off now with this plague on their heels. She took a breath to collect any shard of calm she had left.

“You gonna make it,  _ chica? _ ” Gus asked while checking his gun. 

Her own firearm was perched on her hip, tucked safely in the leather holster. Rae wasn’t fully comfortable handling the responsibility of it yet. Nailing  _ strigoi _ was one thing, however shooting humans was an entirely different spectrum. Her hand hadn’t been forced yet. Although, what real choice did she have? Rae would defend those she cared about, regardless if the only option was to react violently.

“I got this.” Rae ran trembling fingers through partially damp locks. Jesus Christ, had she ever been so nervous in her twenty-five years of life that she sweat bullets like this?

“Look here girly,” He leaned over the cart that stored the Hunters weapons. “I need you to have a clear head.” Gus poked her squarely in the forehead. “We may be badass with our SWAT vamps and shit, but if even one of us slips; it all fucks up.”

She glared at him, swatting his fingers away. “No pressure or anything. I know how to handle myself…”

His expression turned purely serious then, more serious than Rae had seen yet.

“I’m not tryin’ to harp on you, but I’ve seen stuff go straight to hell by someone with a nervous tick. Just keep breathin’ and we’ll bag this  _ puto _ .”

Rae nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry.” Hazel eyes met dark brown. “I lack experience in this sort of area except in… video games.” She mumbled with last part.

Gus rolled his eyes. “Why did I figure you’d say that? Fucking geek.”

“The more appropriate term is nerd, thank-” Her sentence cut off abruptly with the elevator stopping and a gentle  _ ding _ ringing out. They reached the destination without any bumps. So far, Rae thought grimly.

She made haste rolling the cart from atop the hatch in the floor where the Hunters would enter from. Gus flung it open and lowered a helping hand to the closest. Vaun popped up with a grunt first, followed by the rest. The dhampir clicked with satisfaction once his favorite gun was back in his possession. 

He approached her then, concern softly etched into his pale features. Their foreheads pressed together as he nuzzled her face.  _ Your anxiety plagues you still… _

Rae sighed.  _ Don’t worry about it. I can deal.  _

Vaun frowned at this.  _ I do not want you to have to deal. _

_ Gotta do a lot of things we don’t want.  _ She replied, gripping his gloved hands before stepping away.

The Born wasn’t sold on her passive aggressive answers yet let it be, sensing she was upset enough already. He would settle this later however. One by one, the Hunters reached for their personal weapons and armed themselves. That task complete, they formed a circle behind Vaun with Rae and Gus directly on his sides.

_ Are you ready? _  The questioned directly entirely towards her. 

She confirmed with a lie.

“Let’s go!” The steel doors opened and the group jogged forward into the office.

Rae gnashed her teeth together, suppressing the aggravated whine that rose in her throat at the sight.

The office was empty, bare of any company head or employee.  _ Palmer wasn’t fucking here!! _

Her mind raced with the probable explanations that didn’t warrant an easy pick up. If the fossil wasn’t in plain view, then just where was he? Gamer logic made Rae glance up at the ceiling. Bosses were crafty things after all, setting traps not in sight or waiting to strike from where you least expected. 

Of course nothing but art engraved in the stone was there.

She shook her head at the ridiculous thought process. Mentally scolding herself that this wasn’t virtual reality, Rae kept her eyes sharp.

The pack fanned out, two and three Hunters dividing from the main group to search the opposing rooms. Gus followed the tallest of the  _ strigoi _ , leaving Rae alone with Vaun in the main office. He kept mostly in the middle, red eyes scanning every inch of the place while she paced about. Her sneakers made a high squeak with each step as she slowly walked around, looking for any hints to where Palmer slithered off to.

Having not a lot of luck in her very minor detective work, Rae wandered over to where Vaun had moved to; his head cocked to the left with a look of concentration on his scarred face. The tips of his pointed ears flicked once. Did he hear something?

“What’s up?” She whispered, coming to his side.

Unknown exactly how much to Rae, Vaun could hear _everything_ behind this wall. Things that should not behind a wall. The Born heard the hum of technology, sets of lungs expanding, and of course heartbeats; one working harder than all the rest. They were all on the other side.

Crimson eyes scrutinized the smooth black marbling. Any mortal simply looking at the wall would say there was nothing odd about it, but Vaun could see that half a centimeter gap allowed heat to trickle through. It may not be a feign design but it wasn’t solely to separate rooms either.

“This portion of the wall opens, it’s a door and Palmer is behind it.” He grumbled.

Her eyes widened at his discovery. “For real?” 

He could detect three scents that had been near this movable panel recently. Very recently. Two were the salty musk of males and a single lighter scent, perfume tale-telling a woman went along with them. Vaun guided Rae away, out of the path so her own feminine scent wouldn’t confuse his Hunters.

“Yes. Your sight may not be able to discern it, but mine is capable.”

Rae pouted with mock offense. “Making fun of people with glasses? Not cool.”

Vaun grinned faintly. “I am  _ not  _ making fun of you.” He then glanced at the Hunters, jabbing a thumb at the hidden passage. “Break it down.”

She chewed her lip while stepping back with him as two Hunters reacted on command. Gus and the other Hunters returned to the main room. Those _strigoi_ stuck by him as their siblings worked at the secret door. Rae decided to fill Gus in judging by the puzzled expression that he did not hear Vaun. 

The dhampir’s ears twitched at the odd hum Rae heard buzz through the air. Suddenly a Hunter yelped and stumbled backwards, rolling over a piece of furniture. Gus flinched out of the way, quickly shifting his gaze to a round device installed in the far corner. It was emitting some sort of strong light that traveled.

"UV light!" Vaun warned, firing his pistol to take out the unexpected move on Palmer's part.

Her heart lurched when one Hunter screeched and fell on its side, clutching its face in pain. Vaun paused in his shooting with a growl and stormed over, gripping the  _ strigoi’s _ hood and dragging it towards the middle. Gus fired at each source of light he could see but the glass protecting the bulbs were bullet proof. Every round just bounced off without inflicting any harm.

Both their attempts offered no results. The streams of light grew in number as more in each corner of the grand room activated.

Rae yelped when a Hunter stumbled over, desperate for aid from its pack leader, and roughly smacked against her. She tried to help it remain upright but her joints locked into place by icy fear when she noticed something thin and nearly transparent crawl on her arm.  _ Worms. _

The parasite that carried this strain of vampirism curled and thrashed over her sleeve trying to locate an open path to wiggle its way into. She watched with wide and terrified eyes, frozen like a statue by the  _ strigoi’s _ verbal assault on her ears. Why wouldn't she move?! An enraged growl rumbled behind her and the Hunter was shoved to the ground in a blur. 

Vaun’s bright red eyes glared at her.

“Why did you merely stand there?!” He yelled at her. “It could have _infected you_ , yet you just stood-”

Abruptly, larger and more powerful UV lights erupted to live above them, flaring down more or less acidic beams on the  _ strigoi _ . Vaun had so far remained unscathed unlike his kin, but that fact  _ burned quickly _ . He roared in vicious pain as the unprotected flesh of his scalp heated up and began to blister. The vampires at their feet squealed and hissed, covering themselves in every frenzied way thought possible. Gus was yelling something that couldn’t be deciphered over the creatures wails. His face contorted in pure horror and confusion.

Rae forced her limbs to move despite the fear crippling them. She grabbed hold of Vaun and harshly pulled him towards her. Once he staggered into her proximity, she reached over and tugged his hood to cover his face as much the dense fabric would allow. It acted as a shield to only  _ half _ of his profile. Rae saw that this highly concentrated UV was breaching their gear meant for the sun.

A memory hit so swiftly in her mind that it left Rae reeling.

_ “I am unlike Quintus… I would die if kept under prolonged exposure.” Vaun spoke quietly. _

_ "I would die," _

_ "... **die**..." _

**No! No! No! No!**

Then, the floor parted beneath their feet and they were eclipsed in blinding light.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dat cliffhanger though...


	31. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we folks! I wanna take a moment to thank every single one of that has commented, given kudos, and bookmarked throughout this journey. I'm so grateful to every single of one you that I could hug you. This started out as fic for fun and just brush up on my writing skills but you all turned it into so much more. 
> 
> I learned so much from individuals on here and it has given me so much inspiration to try harder. It's been a ride, I'll tell you. I love you all so very very much. 
> 
> While I may not have reached the word count I wanted, I hope you still enjoy. Please enjoy the final chapter of Derezzed.
> 
> *Edited 9/9/17*

Rae was utterly positive that this moment in time would remain plastered in the forefront of her mind for the rest of her days. Once the queasy sensation and disorientation of falling wore off, Rae opened her eyes. She glanced around with one arm draped over Vaun’s trembling shoulders, through squinted eyes to see all the Hunters screeching and _burning._ They were on their backs, spines arched in pure agony, while some were writhing on their sides burrowing their faces in fear.

One, she noticed by smell alone, was screaming so loudly over its pack. It collided with the lit ground face first, as it attempted to rise to its feet; layers of its skin peeled away, revealing the tender muscle and bone beneath. Worms dropped rapidly in countless numbers, each frying the moment they were exposed to the harmful environment. Rae nearly puked at the horrifying sight.

Swallowing the acidic bile that had risen to the back of her throat, she focused on her dhampir. He was lying nearly flat on the ground, grunting and twitching violently in reaction to the intense UV light that poured forth from under him. Rae tried to communicate with Vaun by their bond but she was met with an electrical pulse that sent her into a dizzy spell.

Her legs fumbled to stand, the brightness and light-headedness throwing her for a loop. The only coherent thought that rang louder than the surrounding noises of unfiltered pain was getting Vaun out of this hellish pit. Rae knelt beside the Born, trying to bring him upright but the effort in vain. He growled in pain and returned to his original position. She grimaced. This was not going to be simple and they were running out of time.

“Gus!!” Rae shouted, wrestling off her jacket.

Vaun jerked at her voice as if suddenly reminded she was with him. “Rae…”

She barely heard his voice in this chaos as it was already so weak. Her gaze snapped to his form. “Rae, get out!” His tone cracked with such pain or emotion, Rae couldn’t decipher which.

Anger blossomed in her. Anger at Palmer for this oven bullshit. Anger at Vaun for telling her to just leave him. Anger at herself for being so damn pathetic. 

“Rae? Holy shit! What do you need me to do?!” Gus hollered, tilting his body left and right to catch a better glimpse of them amidst the smoke rolling off the burning _strigoi_.

“Pull Vaun up when I get him there!” She yelled, finally unbuttoning her purple coat and sliding it off her body.

The dhampir snapped at her. “ _I said leave!_ You can’t save me!” He argued.

Rae’s everything burst. The adrenaline was pumping through her small form, coursing in every vein and muscle; fueling her enough for what needed to be done next.

“ _Fuck you!_ ” She barked, walking around to his front. Vaun glanced up at her, bewildered. Rae couldn’t make out much detail in her dhampir’s face but she knew there was impressive damage.

“You do _not_ tell me what to bloody do! You don’t get to decide if I leave you behind or not!” She glowered, kneeling by him and wrapping her coat around his head; covering up those glistening red eyes. Tears began to stream down her reddened cheeks. “Fuck you for trying to leave me behind! _Again!_ ”

That jolted something in the Born causing him to rise, albeit unstably. God knew just how much pain his body was experiencing, how excruciating for him to move his limbs even an inch under the circumstances. But it was the shove they both needed. She grabbed his fallen weapon and slung it over her shoulder.

Rae braced him on her left side and maneuvered him over and around the flailing desperate grasps of the Hunters. Deep down she felt guilty just stepping across the alley _strigoi_ like they were mere obstacles in a street however, Vaun’s life weighed more. Whatever awaited the Born on the other side was going to have to wait, damn it. She’d go _Dante_ on the specter that came from him before allowing death to take him.

“Gus, hurry up!” Rae shouted, nearing the rim of the drop.

His boots thudded loudly against the smoothly polished floor as he rushed to them, whistling high when he slid to a halt. A toned arm lowered for Vaun to grasp but the dhampir could hardly raise his arm, much less see where he was. The light was too harsh for his _strigoi_ vision to help locate where he was or what was in front of him.

Rae hissed through her clenched teeth. “This is gonna suck, but you need to get out of here!”

She took hold of his limb and guided it to clasp onto Gus’ waiting hand. The young man braced himself and hauled Vaun upwards and out of the burning vat. He spun back around to give her a lift but fingers encircled Rae’s ankle tightly. Brown eyes snapped over her shoulder to see a Hunter had crawled over and snagged its claws into her jeans. It was screaming, all the skin on its face practically burned to cinders.

Rae frowned but tried to shake it off its iron grasp. It would not ease nor outright release her, instead the dying Hunter wailed and wailed; its hold increasing to bone crushing levels. A painful whine escaped her lips and her leg locked up. She flinched when a bullet flew past her and landed in the _strigoi’s_ forehead, ending its suffering.

Gus stood on the edge. His gun pointed at the dead vampire. He shoved the gun back its holster and knelt, thrusting his arm out for her to take. “Come on! We ain’t got time to fuck around!”

Slipping her foot out of the curled and lifeless fingers of the _strigoi_ , Rae turned and jumped to wrap both her thin hands around Gus’ strong one. The soles of her shoes didn’t stick firmly to the wall and more than once did she lose her traction. Human or _strigoi_ , no matter who fell into this pit, was not meant to get out.

Her side hit the cool floor with a dense thud thanks to her ankle wobbling under her weight. Rae winced as she collapsed, glaring her offending joint. But they couldn't stay idle for long. The urge to lay there for a brief moment to catch her wind was indeed tempting however, Palmer and his company wanted them- specifically Vaun _dead._ No minutes to waste.

“Let’s bounce before their goons show up!” Gus hollered, picking her up first then helping Vaun lean on both their shoulders.

Vaun grunted and hissed at the manhandling, his muscles reacting instinctively to recoil and lash out. Rae was lucky and didn’t get hit but poor Augustine got cuffed more than once. Gus growled under his breath. “Bitch, I will live you here to burn like bacon if you smack me again!”

Rae pursed her lips at him, glaring at the threat. Gus rolled his eyes. “I ain’t gonna trash him. Have some faith in me, _chica loca_.”

“How are we getting out of here?” She asked, gaze wildly flickering about the office.

The elevator would be the easiest on Vaun and the quickest to escape but they’d likely shut it down to prevent that. Voices could be heard behind the fake wall piece now. They were coming. Rae’s feet shuffled nervously. “We can’t take the same route. They’ll get us for sure.”

Gus rubbed the dark scruff on his chin. “Right right. Stairs is our only bet now.”

Vaun had managed to stay upright but shuddered at that option. She furrowed her brows. “I don’t he’ll make all those floors.”

The passage slid open without noise. Black suits thundered in, guns raised and prepared to pull the trigger. Gus scowled. “He’s gonna have to suck it up!”

He whipped out his firearm and engaged in cover fire. The hired bodyguards ducked behind vases and shelves, returning the favor in earnest. Definitely shooting to kill as the bullets barely missed vital areas. They managed to get around a corner and bolt for the fire emergency stairs.

Gus kicked the door open, leading them into the stairwell. Rae licked her lips, rattled at seeing just how many levels were between them and an exit. The Born still was on his feet but for how much longer? She wanted to peek at him to check if he still fully aware, but there wasn't enough time.

Shouting echoed behind them and getting closer, forcing their downward spiral. Vaun grunted at the sudden movement although he did keep pace with them step by step. Rae focused on not tripping and finding a door that promised either a safe place to hide or different path to take.

Unfortunately, while she did manage not to fall flat on her face, they did not come across an unlocked door and her ankle began to protest loudly.

And of course as luck and common sense would deem it, the guards were still hot on their tail. Rae grimaced when her foot landed on the seventy-first floor number. She couldn’t go much further. The adrenaline she was experiencing earlier wore off, leaving her drained to almost fumes.

A bullet buzzed past Rae’s shoulder, embedding itself in the concrete wall. Gus shouted up at them. “ _¡Vete a la mierda!_ ”

The goons were a handful of floors above them yet. Midway down the stairs Rae let out a yelp. Her ankle had twisted on a step back. Vaun heard this and held onto her waist as she nearly fell forward. “You good, Glasses?” Gus inquired, moving them out of range for now.

Rae leaned against the metal door, trying to catch a breath and giving her bones some peace. “I will be. Sorry. I think the Hunter fucked up my-”

She was unable to finish her sentence as the door opened behind her, sending Rae sailing on to her bottom. A gun’s barrel greeted her.

“Get up.” A deep voice ordered.

“Hold up, _ese_!” Gus charged in, brandishing his own gun. Vaun was leaning heavily on Gus now.

Rae slowly rose to be upright, watching the rich brown skinned man. He was security but judging on how expensive his suit looked, he ranked high and well paid.

A rattle emitted from Vaun’s chest at the worst of moments.

“Is that one of those things?” He inquired, eyeing Vaun warily.  

That protective cord was struck in Rae’s chest and immediately she rounded on the finely dressed man, snatching her gun then aiming it directly between his eyes. “Damn, shortness, you are fast!” Gus chuckled.

Slowly the tall man rose his arms, the gun still in his right grip, and displayed his hands palms up. His dark gaze looking nowhere else but Rae and the pistol shoved in his face. Her fingers worked quickly, snapping the safety off when he moved again.

“You even think about discharging that at them, you’ll be more than sorry.” She threatened.

“I understand. I do.” He swallowed. “Allow me to put away my weapon.”

“ _Drop it_.” Rae growled, denying him permission. She couldn’t believe he would just tuck that gun away.

He nodded once and crouched to safely deposit the gun on the carpet. His coal eyes wandered over her person, noting how already she started to favor a particular side, how her arm was trembling. He sighed. “You’re hurt. And if that is one of those creatures, it is also in pretty bad condition.” His eyes were entirely serious. “None of you will make it out of here.”

Gus snorted. “Says _you_ ,”

Rae didn’t lower her gun. “What’s stopping you then?

“Mr. Palmer has… lost his way recently. I can’t justify these actions. I won’t kill you for trying to stop him.” He explained.

“I’ll get you out of here.” He pressed. Both cast a dubious glance at each other.

Vaun had fallen unconscious at some point and offered no opinion. Gus left it to Rae.

She needed to get Vaun out of here and no other window was opening. She gave the security officer the benefit of the doubt. Rae housed her gun.

He nodded. “Follow me.”

“Who are you anyway?” She asked, trailing after the big man.

“My name’s Fitzwilliam.”

* * *

Making it out of Stoneheart was entirely lucky on their part that one of its employees had a fucking conscious. Rae was grateful for the man’s brave actions, but she’d be more at ease when they got Vaun somewhere safe and secluded. The van they stole to get here wasn’t an option, and with it being daylight, strolling about on the streets with a wounded Born was not one either.

They didn’t discuss it for long since Vaun had gone relatively unresponsive, that fact alone quickened Rae’s pace for shelter. Once they settled him for some rest, they’d grab another vehicle and go back to the underground where hopefully those Ancients would provide some help. If Vaun even made it… She shook her head. _No._ Do not think like that.

It was a handful of blocks away in a vacated ground floor of an apartment complex that the group found safety for the dhampir. Gus left them momentarily to search the inside for any roaming  _strigoi_ or clinging humans. He returned with shoulders at ease, it was empty.

Vaun made little to no sounds now. They had to get him cover. Gus aided her into the first apartment, kicking knocked over chairs and other household items out of their path. Rae had no sight for anything but concentrating on the rises and falls of Vaun’s chest. Each breath seemed to be growing shallower.

Gus took him from her and gently as possible deposited the Born on the puke green sofa. Rae stood there, mildly reeling with shock that swiftly took place of her ferocity. The Sun Hunter grabbed the ball of her shoulder and rocked her back and forth carefully.

“Yo, Rae,” He called softly. She didn’t respond, merely gazing upon Vaun’s unmoving body blankly. “ _Rae_.”

“Huh?” She startled, blinking rapidly.

“I dunno how long you can crash here but it should give him time to… whatever he’s gotta do.”

Rae nodded, unsure herself of what was going on with the dhampir as well. Was he healing? Or did the light inflict irreparable damage?

She glanced at him oddly, fully absorbing his choice of words. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged, not looking her in the eye. “They nabbed me off the streets, you were there. I don’t want anything to do with… _them_ , even with that deal.”

Ice frosted over her bones. She knew Gus wanted no alliance with the Ancients. That they basically forced him to stay there in their service. But it still hurt that’d he leave after this.

Rae bit the inside of her cheek, thwarting the angry words she wanted to spit at him. If she were in his shoes, would she not take a chance when it was given? Gus didn’t owe anything to her or Vaun. However, she did childishly believe they had some sort of friendship. Did he not care about that?

“I know you’re thinkin’ I’m a coward, that I don’t give a shit what happens to you, but he don’t need me.” He pointed a finger at Vaun. “You’re the one he needs. _You_.”

“I can’t blame you.” She muttered, tucking her arms over her chest. “I’d bolt too.”

He flashed her a sad grin. “You’re strong. Take care of yourself and grumpy over there.”

Gus hugged her, folded arms and all. Rae wasn't in the mood for handing out hugs. She sniffed but held back the waterworks.

“I’ll see you out there.”

The door clicking shut softly echoed in her ears like a crack of thunder. Gus was gone. She was alone with her deathly wounded dhampir. What did she do now?

Anxiety rose like a rocket in her breast, tensing her muscles and shutting her lungs. Her breaths drew in quickly successes as the panic crept into veins. The sounds of the outside drowned into a muffled ringing.

Oh God…

“Rae,” His voice cracking. “Rae…” Vaun propped himself as best as he was able, glancing around aimlessly.

The bond was open again and such apprehension poured forth. _Where are you? Are you hurt? What happened? I can’t see…_

Like a bucket of boiling water got dunked on her, Rae rushed over to him. His eyes were worse than she perceived earlier. The left, the eye exposed most to the light, was horribly burnt and nearly sealed shut. Vaun’s right eye also retained damaged but not as badly as the other. It was still open, wide and apprehensive, but a cloudy red versus the usual vibrant colour it was.

“I’m right here.” She wanted so much to hold him, to confirm she really was there, however she didn’t fathom just how badly he was burned under his uniform. “You’re the one who’s hurt. Palmer had this- this UV projection trap. Then you- we fell into this pit that was nothing but lights.”

The Hunters screams were still vivid, repeating in an unforgiving mantra of agony over and over in her head. Salty tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. It fell apart so quickly and leaving so much ruin in its wake.

Vaun rolled onto his side, facing her. “Don’t cry. _Please_.”

God his voice was so raspy. “Sorry sorry, it’s a lot to deal with.” Rae dabbed at her eyes.

He tried to get up but his arms buckled from beneath him, undoing his efforts. Rae fidgeted in her spot, torn between helping him and fearful of hurting him more. Vaun snarled when his next attempt was also in vain. She dipped and carefully cupped him under his arms to move him, but the touch caused him to growl in pain nearly having her drop the Born.

But in the end, she got Vaun at least sitting straight. His expression was contorted into an expression of severe discomfort but he was still breathing. Rae bit her thumb nail, studying him. She needed to see the full the length of his injuries, keeping the gear on may just add more salt to the wound.

“Here,” Rae loosened the straps and collar around his neck. “I’ll be right back.”

A weak chur was her only indication he even heard her.

Rae wandered the abandoned apartment, checking for multiple things. She made sure the windows were locked and light sealed off with curtains. Cabinets held some various types of canned goods and random other foods. She mused, standing in the middle of the bathroom if any of the left behind medical items would do Vaun any good.

She had seen him heal rather easily from different inflections but nothing this extreme. Indecisive, Rae gathered up an arm full of clean towels and went back to the unit. He hadn’t moved unsurprisingly. She double checked the front and only door into the flat was locked.

Rae dropped her items and hands hovered him, bottom lip sucked between her teeth. Removing his clothes would _hurt_. She needed to see the extent of the burns though.

“Vaun,” She called softly.

The Born twitched.

“I’m gonna remove your jacket and stuff, okay?”

She received no comply or otherwise. Bracing herself, she unzipped his jacket. He helped what he could, wincing and hissing with each layer taken off. The sweater underneath it all was the worst. It clung to his shape and caused the most pain.

Vaun howled when it came off. She dropped the clothing to the ground. Rae slapped a trembling hand over her mouth.

His entire torso was heavily burnt, patches of muscles showing on his lower belly and ribs. Some layers of skin came away with the fabric, ripping into the burns that much more. Her mind drew a panicked blank.

“V-Vaun, I-I-I don’t know wh-what to do!” She cried. “It’s so… Oh God…”

Could he even live from this? Her mind swarmed. An idea lit up.

“Where’s Quinlan? He’ll know what to do, yeah?” Rae shakily rose to her feet to find the older dhampir then a weak hold ensnared her wrist.

“Gone.” He rasped.

 _Gone?!_ He fucking left just like that?! “What do you mean??”

“There was no substantial evidence keeping him here…” Vaun whispered, wincing as he braced himself against the cushions. “He returned home.”

“I’ll kick him in the shins, swear to God!” Rae growled under her breath.

Vaun managed a wheezed chuckle. “I’d like to see you try that.”

She turned somber, but her tears ran without abandon now at the seemingly hopeless situation. “What do I do?” Rae asked again.

He half spoke, mouthed the word, “Blood,”

The hairs on her arms rose straight up. Oh shit...

“Wa-wait here,” She fumbled. “I’ll find somethin- _someone_.” She forced to correct.

Rae jogged into the alley, gaze anxiously flicking to catch a glimpse of any lurking animal to bring back. What would be enough? Vaun drank _humans_ , not stray animals. Did she need more than one then? She miserably dashed after one or two rats she’d seen skitter in the shadows, failing to snatch them.

A cat meowed from the far side, gracefully trotting across the chain link fence. It was an orange tabby, its fur matted and dirty. The feline tilted its small head towards her, round green eyes staring at her. Rae moved forward one step but stopped. Her heart couldn't take anymore. It already breaking to pieces.

The stray gave one last meow and dashed away.

She stood there, nails anxiously raking and pinching at her palms, on the edge of overwhelmed. Vaun wouldn’t make it if he didn’t get enough blood. He wouldn’t survive if she didn’t do _something!_

Her heart pounded loudly in her eardrums while she fought with herself over options. She cradled her head with one damp palm, the slender slope of her arm leaned against her neck. There were plenty of people still wandering the streets, she could…

A look of realization dawned over the shadow of despair that itched into her face.

The hand supporting her head fell from the perch of her chin and trailed over the strong pulse, feeling the flesh there twitch in response to the heart’s rhythm. Fingers cupped that delicate part on her throat protectively as she mulled over this consideration.

Love had no requirements, no limits, so that made it powerful, right?

Rae returned inside after a bout of inner debation. The door locked behind her. She made her decision. She put on a mask of bravery as she walked back to the living room. He didn’t need to see how afraid she was, how her instinct screamed and thrashed at this course. It was her choice ultimately, no matter how he would rage against her for it.

But that porcelain mask of false calm fell and broke apart as she entered.

Vaun slumped forward now, streams of white blood trickling down his arms and chest onto the floor. Her heart, her lungs, everything seized at the sight.

She took his face into her hands, whispering with broken desperation. “Vaun? _Vaun!?_ ” The tips of her fingers gently prodded over his faded swirls, searching for his pulse. She scowled when he gave no response and instead pressed her palm flat against his chest.

It expanded yet, but barely. The breathes were incredibly shallow as if he were asleep. Was his body shutting down to try and repair itself or was she too late?

A fierce flame of defiance kindled. No, fuck that. He was _not_ dying!

Her hands wildly searched his numerous pockets for one of the many knives he owned. “ _A hobby.” he shrugged in reply to her half serious question._

Finally, her fingers grazed the handle of a pocketknife he kept hidden in small breast pocket. Her hands trembled with the soaring adrenaline as she opened the blade. ‘Stop fucking shaking!’ Rae chided herself, eyes narrow with disdain at her body’s damn shortcomings; she always shook like a leaf and this just made it worse!

The blade clicked fully extended, gleaming in the dark at her like a wicked fang. She swallowed. No hesitation, she commanded herself.

Carefully, she drug the sharp rim of the knife a short distance across the surface of her skin near her pulse. Rae didn’t cut deep or near any major arteries, that she knew of, but hoped if the faintest trace of fresh blood was rouse him.

She shoved him back and climbed onto him. The dhampir was motionless yet, nothing reacted to the scent of blood in the air. Rae grimaced. She hoisted his upper body towards her, guiding his head to nestle into the crook of her neck. A thin trail of blood had run down.

“Come on, come on,” She urged while prying her fingers into his mouth.

Rae worked his jaw open and pressed his mouth on to the self inflicted wound. Seconds and seconds of dread passed by before Vaun’s body twitched violently. A growl rumbled from his chest as the _strigoi_ instinct rose from the abyss and fought to live. She gasped when the flesh of his stinger spread and attached itself.

In greedy heaves of her blood, Rae already felt the life draining from her. She was small and not in the healthiest of weight ranges so this would end quickly. Did she know this would more than likely happen? Yes. If anyone knew about this they would probably berate her for it, calling her senseless.

The dhampir’s arms sprang to life. One encircled her waist to prevent escape, the left grasping her hair and bending her throat to gain more access to the blood. She felt her eyes begin to flutter closed.

What did her life matter in this war? Vaun needed to survive to help Quinlan. His continued existence offered so many possibilities that could prove to be vital to the outcome. She wasn’t needed for this. All she was in the end was a mere human.

She wasn’t smart. She wasn’t trained. She wasn’t a bunch of things. But god damn it, she did try!

Rae bettered herself in the end. She learned and grew. Plus, she fell in love with the most unique and lovely creature she’d could've imagined. That’s what she told him right? If she died, she would pass on happy cherishing that fact.

Darkness encroached upon her, filling in everything around her. Rae sighed. It kinda reminded her about a line in an older animated movie she liked.

People do crazy things when they're in love.

* * *

When Vaun awoke, he was more confounded by the lack of searing pain that had inflamed his entire body instead of the fractured sight he was experiencing once the sluggishness wore off from the deep sleep his system forced him into. He blinked timidly, fearful of opening his eyes fully to only be blasted by the mere glass bulbs that stored the power of the sun within them. For a moment, Vaun believed he had gone blind from the exposure but when his sight adjusted the dhampir noted he was inside a human domicile that was soaked in darkness. 

He scrunched his face in the slight pain that trickled through his body. The burns still pursued, the layers of skin not quite stitched back together entirely. The dhampir hissed at the jarring sensation of the rough carpet against his charred flesh as he rose off the floor. His one completely functioning eye stared at the pale arm that supported his right side with puzzlement. Angry red splotches remained painted on the surface but overall, his limb was mostly healed.

A deeper sense of confusion furrowed his hairless brow at his surroundings. When did he get _here?_ Faintly, traces of memory floated back under the murky film of his confusion. They had failed at Stoneheart, Palmer yet free and aide the Seventh. He recalled getting out of that hellish pit of sunlight, there was a stairwell that just seemed to go down and down and down for what felt endless depths, a veil of pitch overtook him, then Rae’s voice…

_Rae._

Vaun’s bald head snapped up at breakneck motion. His red eye frantically searched the area. The couch to his right was empty, the traces of his heat fading cold and barely visible. The opposite side of the room barren of her presence as well. He couldn’t see her. Where was she?!

The Born froze when his left hand felt strands of hair. He glanced down and saw her laying there, motionless. Vaun tried to control his heart, the rapid beat of apprehension drowning out her own. Vaun leaned over, the tips of his claws gently raking across her cheek. Was she asleep?

“Rae,” He called out softly, trying not to scare her into awareness.

Not a single reaction. Rae wasn’t the calmest of people to sleep with. She’d toss and turn, flinch with each brush of another’s limb, grumble and lightly snore. This stillness… this totally unresponsive state was very unnatural for her.

The bond had grown dim between them as well. Was it due to the trauma?

He nuzzled her, spoke to her, tried all he could but never did she react.

Vaun braced his legs on either of her sides, looking down at her worriedly. He brushed over her mind. Nothing.

“Rae, don’t do this. You’re scaring me.” He admitted, becoming rather unwound.

His hands swept over her, looking for anything that would clue him in on why.

She didn't respond to him, no matter what he tried. He was growing frantic now. Why wouldn’t she wake up?!

His spine locked when he turned her neck, spotting a mark that should have _never_ been there. The cut would go unseen by mortal sight but to Vaun, was clear. A clean and minuscule slice ran neatly over her artery. A sweet metallic taste rested on his tongue; one he had briefly tasted.

Oh God…

No. No. No _NO!_

“Rae, love, you have to wake up.” Vaun pleaded like a child. He knew what he had done. “ _Rae please_ ,” He cradled her head, combing her oily hair; hoping with every ounce his being she’d prove him wrong despite that already knew.

_He killed her._

She must’ve gotten too close or unable to get away from him. Vaun had fallen so lowly before. Had he not attacked her in a hungry daze a year ago? Was this not how they met in the beginning? Rae was not to blame… She was not the monster here.

_He was._

His primal instinct to feed must’ve overpowered her and stole what his body needed to recover. Vaun had stolen her life to sustain his own selfish and monstrous existence.

A fragile piece inside of him shattered.

The dhampir howled with such despair it was crippling. She didn’t deserve this fate. He didn’t deserve her. He ruined her.

Vaun clutched her body, her form almost limp like a rag doll in his arms. He cried. For the first in his long life, the dhampir cried. He didn’t weep when the Ancient happened upon him that night. Not when he received his first near fatal wound. Nor each time he failed to live up to Old Ones expectations.

He wept for the lone woman that loved him. He wept for the love he lost, that he destroyed.

A low noise of movement echoed to his left. Rage filled him alongside his sorrow.

He lashed out at the shadows.

“Calm down!” A gravelly familiar voice ordered.

Vaun snarled at them. He wanted to be left alone! He killed her for God’s sake there was no _calming_ down!

A dark gloved hand shot out and snagged hold onto his ear, gripping harshly. The dhampir roared at the assailant. “Be calm!” Fangs bared at him in a growl. “ _She lives_ . **Listen.** ”

Very, very faintly Vaun heard it. The weak and tired beat of her blood as her heart pumped it through her body. She was _alive._

Lar sneered at him. “Your mate lives, Born. _Barely_.”

Shame at his overreaction boiled on the back of his neck. Emotions ran away from him in the distress. Had he been so out of it that he could not hear her heart? Vaun was in quite a daze upon rousing. But his weakened state did not excuse his behavior.

Despite the reasons of his stupidity, Vaun did not care. He nuzzled the slope of her neck, lips pressed lovingly against the point of her pulse. **She was alive.**

“Elizalde sought me out. He claimed you and Williams were safe but in dire need of aide.” Lar explained, hand on a cocked hip. “We happened upon you shortly after you fed. If we arrived any later, your female would be dead.”

Vaun curled his nose during his nuzzling. She smelled like Augustine. Lar saw his distaste.

“The boy had to give her blood. Again, you’re lucky she is a universal type.” Lar quipped, moving away.

“You couldn’t put her somewhere other than the floor?” He growled.

Lar hissed at him. “Be thankful I cared enough to come here! Our Sires orders be damned!” He folded his arms. “You would not release her anyway, even in your unconscious state.”

The Born glanced sideways, partly embarrassed.

“I am grateful.” He muttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I will be eternally so for your interference but, I cannot go back.”

Lar churred. “Indeed. You’re a disgrace to them now. A failure which cost them decades of training and preparations in Hunters.”

Vaun felt sorrow for his nestmates but could not afford to dwell on it. “Yet they ordered you to listen to the boy?”

He huffed. “Born are much too rare and valuable to be wasted. Their statement.”

Vaun snorted.

“They focus again on the Invictus. He will return soon.” Lar informed.

“Quinlan is the one to win this war. Not I.”

Lar rumbled. “Aye, the Seventh’s demise was crafted thousands of years ago. With the Invictus’ birth, came its death. With it’s end They will finally be whole, madness brought to peace.”

Rae stirred in his arms, fingers seeking out something to clasp onto. She settled once those scouring digits found the hem of his pants.

“I brought a parting gift.” Lar reached behind the furniture and tossed a large black bag on the cheap wooden table. “Clothes. Gear. Ammo.” His crimson gaze flicked to Rae briefly. “Human items.”

Vaun nodded. “Thank you, brother.”

The _strigoi_ flinched at that. “Clean yourself up before she wakes. I’ll stay with her.”

He didn’t want to leave her even for a fleeting moment but Lar was correct. Dried blood of his and her’s caked on his skin left a terrifying sight. He’d reek eventually. Vaun carefully rose with Rae in his arms then gently set her on the couch.

Lar joined her side while Vaun passed him, and hoisted up the bag. The washroom was easy to locate and the water worked. He refused to glance in the mirror. His visage never of importance. Vaun watched in a daze the tainted water circled the drain in the sink. As elated as he was for Rae’s life being saved… What would she think of him upon waking?

This was the second instance in which he brutally attacked her in the prompt of thirst.

She’d hate him surely. Despise him even. Or worse, be afraid of him and the true monster he was.

He wouldn’t forgive such a transgression either. He _violated_ her. Stole what did not belong to him. Vaun would kill someone for this. The Born had so for much less.

The knot in his shoulders loosened. However Rae accepted him, both sides of him, and did not recoil from either. She embraced each broken half that formed the horrid creature he was.

Vaun ran a palm down his face. Think on that dread later. He exited the room, clean of old blood and dead tissue that stubbornly clung to his skin.

“Do not fret.” Lar sat in the chair now. “She’s a strong mortal; albeit incredibly reckless and stupid.”

Vaun snarled at the _strigoi’s_ comment. “I will not hear of your…  _sass,_ as she puts it.”

Lar shrugged. “I am merely stating a point.”

The dhampir allowed the _strigoi’s_ attitude roll off his shoulders. Fuck him.

Vaun startled when a growl came from the head of the couch, near his feet. Thor eyed him hatefully as he stayed put near his mistress. The half-breed glared at the dog while it panted in anxious in huffs.

“You could have left _that_.” Vaun spat.

Lar sneered. “He would not obey me and followed. Believe me, I do not part with the canine so easily.”

“I did not take you for a… pet owner.” He said, slightly surprised by this development.

“Perhaps I had animals in my human life. I cannot say. Those memories are… muddy at best.” Lar remarked, standing to his feet.

Rae’s body shifted slightly. The skin covering her eyes fluttering.

“She wakes.” The _strigoi_ stated. Lar clapped Vaun on the shoulder during passing. “You both have been given second chances. Do not waste them.”

He silently bid the canine farewell, scratching behind his floppy ears. The _strigoi_  tore himself from the animal with strangled noise, vanishing in the dark hall.

“Thank you.” Vaun muttered. Lar was already gone but the Born knew he heard.

He watched her awake, every muscle in his body tense as he did. Fear kept chains on his bones. The dhampir mentally prepared himself for her utter rejection.

Those hazel eyes opened slowly. A few blinks and they cracked wide, staring directly at him. Vaun ceased to breath as she studied him. Maybe it took a moment for her brain to click or he caused some sort of damage but it was agonizing how long she simply looked at him.

“Vaun?” She croaked.

Oh God, her voice it nearly undid him there. The shackles loosened just a bit. “Yes?”

A tiny smile spread over her mouth. “You’re okay.”

No. No, he was far from it. Vaun had suffered much in these past hours. His eyes stung as his heart still burned with the guilt of nearly _killing_ her. But in the sense she was referring, then yes, he’d make it.

He wanted to shout at her. Blame her for his anguish. Belittle her poor decision but none of that mattered any longer. All that anger that built in the back of his mind abated when she spoke to him. There was no disgust in her eyes, no hatred.

_Relief. Pride. Love._

It crashed into him like waves from the reactivated bond.

“Rae,” He groaned.

The dhampir was upon her in a flash. His limbs curling around her like she would disappear if he did not hold her. Words tumbled forth in an unstoppable pace. “How could you do that?! I thought I killed you! You damn fool!” He cried into her hair, grasping her to him as tightly as possible.

Rae tapped on his forearm. “Can’t breath.”

He separated from her like he was hit with static. His gaze drew narrow. “You should have let me die.”

This struck Rae poorly, sending her bolting upright with a heated glare. “ _What?_ ”

Her quick annoyance timed ill with her current condition. She weaved in place before collapsing back on her shoulders. But her anger did not waver. “You’re just okay with dying?”

Vaun growled at her. “As _you_ are just okay with dying?! You risked too much!”

“You were the one letting yourself bake! You were going to leave me behind!” She cried.

“WERE YOU NOT COMMITTING THE SAME? YOU CHOSE AS WELL TO LEAVE ME!” He roared.

She covered her face, hiding her tears from him. He had never risen his voice at her like this. The Born knew she hated loud confrontation, but damn it he was cut deeply by her choice as well!

“You… You willingly left me with what I assumed was your corpse.” He breathed, trying to recollect an ounce of calm. “Leaving me alone to wallow in guilt that I murdered you.”

Rae sniffled. “You didn’t _murder_ me. Quinlan would need your help. Not mine.”

“What would you call draining you, then?” His eyes hard. “Quinlan needs no aide. It is his destiny to destroy the Seventh.”

“You’re more important than me.” She whispered.

“Damn you!” Vaun hissed. “Damn you and this toxic belittling your mind does!”

He pulled her to up him, cradling her tired form in his strong hold. “Have I not expressed what you are to me? How _important_ you are to me?” Vaun nudged her forehead. “ _I do not exist without you_.”

Moisture leaked from her eyes, streaming down her pale face. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn't know what else to do!”

Her tears invoked a similar reaction. “I should be the one apologizing to you.”

She shrugged, rubbing her nose with the cuff of her sleeve. “I gave it to you freely. I knew what I signed up for.”

‘That makes one of us,’ He thought with a grin. She was a surprise over and over again.

Vaun kissed her tenderly on the mouth before standing.

“You look…” Her eyes shifted up and down his half dressed form. “ A little better.”

The healing had been minimal but succeeded him giving the boost his body needed. Already the flesh over his muscles had begun to reform, and his sight clear in the one eye. He would bear these scars for the rest of his life however. The thought didn’t bother him. Vaun wore many already.

“I am recovering. Both of us will take some time before venturing.”

Rae agreed, nestling further into the sofa. The circles under her eyes were still dark and heavy. He would wait until she fully recuperated. The dhampirs wounds could heal just fine being on the move.

She pat the void space beside her with a tired uplift of her lips. He trilled and joined her, curling into her human warm with a rumbling purr. Neither were exhausted to the point of sleep yet, and so they talked. Rae told him about what happened at Stoneheart at his behest.

He remembered mostly now that his mind was awake but little details she filled in were lost. She explained that Gus helped get him here and how he left afterwards. Vaun hissed at the boy’s desertion, but that earned a swat from her.

That day, as well as this one, may haunt them for countless days to come but let the nightmares come. They had each other and that is all that mattered.

* * *

It was time. 

Rae's strength had returned, her pallor had faded and the healthy warm look glowed on her skin again. He had gone out in the night while she slept and taken more than one blood meal to sustain himself and the tremendous effort his body was putting in to heal. His left eye would remain blind and scarred, no amount of blood or _strigoi_ ability could alter that. 

“What do we do now?” Rae asked, packing some other items into the duffel bag.

A handful of days had passed. Rae regained much of her colour, that bright gleam in her gaze he'd lose himself to rekindled. She had felt well enough to ruffle through the surroundings units for dog food or any other supplies she'd figure necessary during their wandering. There had not been much left to loot, the residents leaving in a panicked blur, but it hadn’t been entirely in vain. Rae had come back of a decent haul of foods and animal things. Thor sat near the door, across from Vaun, leashed and ready.

Vaun rattled. “We fight. We live.”

Rae grinned. “Hasn’t changed?”

The Born glanced at her through his lone good eye. “No. But we will do it differently.”

Something was calling to him, a voice different than the Ancients, Quinlan or Rae. It was wordless, without form besides the beckoning to follow. An urge that drove him to seek the source in the North.

He gripped her small hand as she crossed to meet him.

“However we proceed from here, you will come with me?”

She graced him with a smile and gifted him with an answer no one in his four centuries ever gave him. “I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

The Born gripped her hand tightly, flushing slightly at the unbidden heat that flared in his chest. He'd protect her as she would protect him. No matter what happened from here on out, they'd face it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if that ending seemed abrupt? But I couldn't see this going much further. As I said earlier, I had no real plans for this besides fun and study. But, there's an epilogue coming~! So please stay tuned for the bow to wrap up these two. 
> 
> For those of you who feared I'd kill my sweet roll, IN YOUR FACE! *stupid anime tears* I never planned to kill Vaun. Poor roll is burnt but still a good roll.
> 
> For my FL and coastal readers, please stay vigilante and remain as safe as possible during this hurricane.


	32. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously last chapter for Derezzed.
> 
> I'm a sucker for happy endings. Sue me. Plus, this is super sappy. I mean, like, it's oozing all over the place man. The fluff is rotting my teeth. 
> 
> Again, I want to thank each and every single one of you for reading. It's been a joy to hear from you all on these and their awkward adventure. This will be my fourth completed story in my fanfiction career and I hope to produce many for you guys to possibly enjoy. Seriously, from bottom of my black heart, thank you.

_**Roughly seven months after Night Eternal…** _

Snow fell in gentle lulls through the coated pines that stood undaunting in the face of Winter. Two years had passed since the viral infection that originated in New York spread its Strain over the entire world. Many lives were lost, sacrifices were made and revenge fulfilled.

“Love, I have no complaints about where my head currently is positioned but I do wonder,” A dual harmonic voice spoke up from below. “How long does it take to hang a picture?!”

The Seventh had been eliminated thanks to the efforts of the Doctor and Invictus. The fifth Born had reunited with Vaun and Rae in Canada after the fall of New York, bringing the Lumen and ashes of the Ancients. Bafflement at the young dhampir’s continued existence gave way for hope that perhaps Quinlan would survive as well, recently gaining a love of his own.

A celestial being named Ozryel was reborn from the ruin of the Master in its complete form thanks to the combined efforts of the dhampirs and human alleys. The angelic progenitor granted boons to the Born, restoring their forms and allotting them a human sentence to live out; but, they remained in their cursed forms as remembrance for what once was.

“Look here, I’m short and you’re tall, this part of the package.” A mildly serious retort was shot back.

Two years of grueling battles, treacherous alliances, and ultimate sacrifice, it was finished. Finally, balance was restored and life could begin anew. Freedom was no longer a dream but a reality.

In the seclusion of dense trees and hills, a house stood once abandoned in the peril of looming infection or death. As the dust settled, the world safe, there they found a home. It had taken time to restore properly to its previous state but it had been worth it.

Much of the home’s front was open, large sheets of heavily tinted window giving outlook to the interior, although blocking the yet harmful rays of sun. The living area was large and spacious mostly, a fireplace crackling and warm among it all. Upstairs being their shared dwellings and a space dedicated to a library. The basement was crafted for training, the dhampir wanting to keep vigilant.

A rather small box fell, jostled from its nestled hiding spot by vibration caused hammering.

A brow furrowed in puzzlement. “Um, what is that?”

Vaun nervously shifted. “It’s uh… nothing.”

“Looks like a box.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“Dude, I can _see_ it. It’s an itty bitty fucking box, right there at your feet!” Rae exclaimed from her perch on his shoulders.

Vaun released his grip on her thighs to reach down and snatch the tiny box from the wood floor. He quickly stuffed it in his pocket while Rae slid off his shoulders. Her hazel eyes were bright and wide, brimming with curiosity.

“What was it?” She peeked around him, grabbing at his attire to locate the box.

“Must you invade my personal space?” Vaun rattled, letting her poke and prod to her content.

She chuckled. “I didn’t fuss when you invaded mine last night.”

The Born flushed. “ _That_ was different.”

Rae snickered with glee upon her victory at discovering the item was hidden in his right trouser pocket. She pouted Vaun clasped his hand over the pocket. “Aww, come on, I wanna know what it is!”

She could turn into such a child sometimes when the need to know overtook her. Vaun frowned. This wasn’t how he wanted to do this however, her accidental dislodging gave him no choice.

“I have to ask you something first.” He said.

Rae clapped her palms together. “Sure,”

Thor wandered in at the rambunctious noise, trimmed nails clacking on the wood. His tarnished gold head titled to the side, waiting for what unfolded next.

He chewed the inner flesh of his mouth, suddenly struck with a loss of words.

“We’ve been through much over the past few years, yes?” She nodded. “And you are happy?”

Rae pursed her lips at his inquiry. “Of course, um, what’s with the questionnaire?”

Vaun gripped her small hand in his. He grinned faintly. “I am only wondering before I dedicate myself to the rest of my life to remind you of everything single thing I love about you.”

The Born grasped her chin between his fingers, pinning ever her wide gaze. “I love you Rae Michelle Williams. When your heart stops beating, so shalt mine. I cannot- _will not_ abide where you are not.”

Tears sprung to life at the corners of her eyes, of course. She was so easy to provoke. Nuzzling her forehead to distract, Vaun placed the box in her hands and closed them. Rae glanced down, a deep blush going wild over her face.

“Open it,” He urged.

Her limbs shook terribly as she cracked the case open. Those bubbling tears reached their brim and rolled down her face. Rae tried to speak but only little noises and hiccups would vent.

“Well? Will you marry me?” Vaun asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

She was quiet and trembling all over so a moment the dhampir doubted if she wished for this -the bond an absolute a confusing twitter between them- when Rae bulldozed into him, shouting through her rampant tears. “Yaaasss!”

Vaun nearly stumbled over at the force of her dive. He caught her, laughing. “Yes?”

Rae kissed him, blinking away the moisture in her sight and breathed, “Yes, always,”

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Forgive me for not being fluent in blubbering.”

She danced in place as he placed the ring around her finger. It took a while to procure as much had been lost and he had something not so traditional in mind. The gems were in favor of her favorite colour then cut and crafted to resemble a symbol she was so fond of.

“I love you.” Rae whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

“And I love you.”

_~Fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally pulled that 'Oz giving Q and V's life back' out of a hat. I mean, it could happen? *shrugs* Probably not, but the cinnamon rolls need happiness. THANK YOU ALL FOR READING AND COMMENTING! I LOVE YOU!
> 
> !ANNOUNCEMENT!
> 
> Since these two are a bit more popular than I ever imagined them getting, and I'm not ready to cut the cord, I have decided to do 2 things: Open up prompts for Vaun and Rae on my Tumblr (under the same name for those who do not follow me there) and eventually come out with an AU fic of this. It will be longer, it will be no where near as fluffy, but it will basically be if I took Derezzed entirely serious to be begin with. That sounds awful but truth. I did this for fun, then to write a different aspect on love and sex, and stretch my writing legs.
> 
> I cannot express how thankful I am to you all for sticking with me. I know my writing is sub-par but I feel it's grown. I feel like I'm better than where I used to be. *hugs* Thank you again, so so very much. <3


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